The Secret of the Amulet
by Ryu Midori
Summary: About a girl named Aislinn and a family heirloom that isn't at all what it seems.She's got a score to settle with the turtles, but they seem to have a common enemy.But who is Oroku Saki to her and why does she hate him so much? Rated M for safety.
1. Prologue

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.**

**The prologue is _really_ short, but don't worry, they get longer and more interesting:P**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass in to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.**

**This story is a Rough Draft, I'm actually in the process of changing it around and taking out the TMNT characters and changing the storyline to fit better in order to one day actually get it published:D**

Prologue

Seventeen-year-old Aislinn jumped the fence behind the hidden building and ran as fast as she could down the alley. She was of average height and average weight for a girl her age. She had blonde hair and blue eyes —despite her father's Japanese heritage. A silver headband wrapped around her head to keep her hair out of her vision.

Men of the Foot Clan followed her, but she made quick work of them with her bow and throwing daggers.

She gritted her teeth at the pain in her arm. She'd get those damn mutant turtles for this.


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.**

Chapter 1

_Ten Months Later..._

Aislinn woke to a commotion in the living room and jumped to her feet. Grabbing her bow and arrows, she ran out of her room and into the hall.

"What's going on?" she shouted to her comrades.

"Merode's back!" shouted Jessica, the oldest of her friends.

Aislinn ran faster and met up with her rejoicing friends at the entrance to their house. She stopped and watched. Jessica and Kimberly were hugging a reluctant Merode.

Aislinn chuckled, shaking her head. "You always were one who didn't like hugs."

"Kelpie!" Merode said using Aislinn's old nickname. She looked at Jessica. "She still as blonde as she looks?"

Aislinn flew into Merode's brown furry arms, laughing. Merode had once been human but had been unfortunate enough to get too close to their enemy, the Shredder. She was now a mutant fox with brown fur that matched her shoulder-length hair, claws, and ears that caught everything. Behind her twitched a bushy tail. Aislinn had once teased Merode about her pointy teeth, saying that they were the only things that fit her demonic nature. That, and the sais that were hanging at her sides in her belt.

"Where have you been?" Aislinn asked, pulling back.

"Yes, where _have_ you been?" Jessica asked.

Kimberly signed with her fingers. She was a mute and hadn't been able to speak for five years. She had watched her parents get killed and had gone in shock. Since then, she hadn't been able to speak. So Jessica spoke for her. "Its been almost four years."

Four years ago, Merode had left the house to cool down and look for a fight. She had never come back. They had looked everywhere for her, but to no avail.

"What, have you been counting?" asked Melody, smirking.

"Everyday," said Aislinn, laughing. "Come on, tell us where you've been."

Merode shrugged. "Here and there." She caught sight of Aislinn's swollen hand hidden by a leather glove. "What happened to you? Drop another candle?"

Aislinn laughed. When she had been fifteen, Aislinn had been cleaning her room and a glass candleholder had dropped on her foot, fracturing the third bone. "Unfortunately, no," Aislinn said.

"She was led into a trap," said Kimberly, Jessica translating.

"With a little bit of pizza, that'd be explanatory," said Merode, smirking at her friend.

"Hey!" Aislinn protested.

Merode chuckled. "Seriously, though, go on."

"I wasn't exactly 'led' into a trap. More like ambushed. I was hanging out with some friends—"

"Care to tell her which friends?" Jessica asked, scolding.

Aislinn rolled her eyes. After a year, Jessica still thought it was her fault. "A few friends. They aren't that bad, Jessica."

Jessica snorted as if she found that funny. She looked at Merode. "A couple girls and guys from the Purple Dragons."

"Purple Dragons!" Merode exclaimed. "Aislinn, do you know what kind of shit they do?"

"Aye, I do, but these people are different. You don't have to worry; I wasn't going to join them. They're just friends. Anyway," she continued. "Back to the story. I was hanging out with some friends at the skating pit across town. We were showing off moves to some beginners—"

"And you fell flat on your face," Merode broke in.

"Come on, Merode," Aislinn said, smiling.

"Sorry. I couldn't help it."

"And one of the girl's boyfriend found out about me."

"You mean...?" Merode didn't say it, because it didn't need to be said. The others knew of Aislinn's secret.

Aislinn nodded. "That and, don't ask me how, that _you _were a friend of mine. He tried to fight me so he could turn me in and get some money from Shredder. Then out of the blue, came these four mutant turtles. They looked exactly like real turtles, 'cept they could walk on their hind feet and talk just like humans. They fought the girl's boyfriend and ended up killing him."

"Course the girl was very happy and is still her friend," said Kimberly through Jessica. Merode wasn't listening to Kimi. Her brow was furrowed and her eyes were intent on Aislinn. "Go on," she said.

"All of sudden we were surround by men from the Foot. They threw this enormous net over us and threw this sleeping gas bomb into our midst. That's all I remember 'till I woke up three days later tied to an operating table. Shredder's minions had done tests on me." She drew up the sleeve of her silver sweatshirt and tore off her glove to reveal a deformed hand with only three fingers and a thumb, which were covered in coarse white hair like horsehide. Her fingertips resembled the material that made up horse hooves. "I escape before they could do more."

"So you hide it," Merode said disapprovingly.

"Well, duh. I don't think I could see my friends in the Purple Dragons if I didn't. I'd scare the shit out of them."

"They shouldn't care."

"Merode, they're not like us. They aren't used to seeing mutations like this. They think we live in a world that is still somewhat safe."

"Man," said a male voice behind Merode. "Talk about your fixer-upper."

Merode spun. "Mikey! What the hell are you doing here?"

"We followed you."

"I told you all to stay at the lair." Merode stepped away to reveal a mutant turtle just like the ones Aislinn had described seconds ago. Suspicion and rage rose in Aislinn. Could this be one of the turtles that had ambushed her?

"Yeah, I know," he said. "The rest are waiting outside. I sneaked in before they could stop me." He grinned. "Raph's pissed. But, then again, that's normal." He caught sight of Aislinn and his grin broadened. "Hey! I know you! You're that chick with the cool board moves." She was right. He _was_ one of them. He stepped forward and held out his hand. "Remember me? Me and my bro's helped you fight that big dude that was trying to kill you."

"Uh oh," said Jessica.

Aislinn smiled innocently. "Aye, I remember." She took his hand.

Next thing Mikey knew, he was on his back and Aislinn was sitting on top of him. She wrapped her hands around his neck and squeezed, slamming his head against the floor repeatedly.

"Dude...what's...the...deal?" he choked out a word each time his head hit the floor.

"Aislinn! Stop!" Merode tried to pull Aislinn back but her hands were firmly clamped around Mikey's throat and she only succeeded in doing more damage. Fearing she might hurt the dumb-ass more than needed, she let go of Aislinn.

"You bastard!" Aislinn screamed at him. "Its because of you that I'm like this!" She thrust her mutated hand in his face.

"Really? I don't remember doing that."

"Shedder did it, you ass-head! You ambushed me at the pit!"

"We did not!"

Aislinn pushed the button on the underside of her ring and a dagger about six-inches long popped out. She held it to Mikey's throat. He gulped loudly in fear.

"Aislinn, stop!" Merode shouted. "He means no harm!"

"Bullshit! He did this to me, Merode!"

"Shredder did it, Kelpie," Merode said softly. "Let him go."

"No."

"We didn't ambush you!" Mikey said, pleading. "We tried to help you. It was the Foot Clan that ambushed us."

"Oh, really? Then what's the deal with you leaving me there to die? In the hands of Shredder!"

"We tried to go back for you. You were gone when we got there."

"See, Aislinn?" Merode asked. "Now get off him before you hurt him."

Mikey rubbed the back of his head. "I think the damage has been done."

There was a nock at the door. "Aislinn?" Came a voice. "Linn? Are ya home? I need ta talk ta ya." The voice sounded urgent and scared.

Aislinn swore, pushing the button on her ring. The blade disappeared. "Its Ana." She looked up at Merode. "You have to hide. You'll scare her."

Merode cocked a furry eyebrow. "So you're ashamed of me?"

"No. I told you. She's an earthly-world girl. Mutants will scare her."

"Seem to be forgetting your hand," said Mikey.

Aislinn pulled the sleeve of her silver sweatshirt back down and got off Mikey. She pulled him up and shoved him at Merode. "Take him with you, please."

Merode sighed. "Fine. All right, kuso. Let's go. We're not wanted here." She took Mikey's arm and pulled him into the hallway and Aislinn heard Mikey ask, "Got any pizza?" before the practice room door closed.

Aislinn shoved her hand inside her pocket and opened the door with her free hand to find Ana just starting to turn away. She was dressed in a purple tank top—despite the cold of night—and very baggy khaki jeans. Bracelets were stacked one on top of the other completely covering her skinny wrists. Her blonde and purple streaked hair was pulled up in ponytails in several different places, sticking up everywhere. Concluding her attire was a large purple dragon tattooed on her left arm.

"Ana," Aislinn said softly.

The girl—she was about fourteen—turned and Aislinn found tear tracks down her cheeks. Ana wiped the tears away with one hand—the other was wrapped around herself—leaving her eyes red-rimmed. She sniffed.

"What's wrong, Ana?" Aislinn asked.

Ana's face crumpled and she flew into Aislinn, sobbing. Aislinn wrapped her free arm around the girl and held her. "Shh, Ana. What's wrong, dear?"

"Oh, Aislinn! There's something wrong with me!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"That's the problem! I don't know! Aislinn, I'm scared."

Aislinn enfolded her arm closer about Ana and the girl sobbed into her sweatshirt.

"Come on in. Jessica, will you make a cup of tea for her?"

Jessica nodded and left the room to go to the kitchen. Aislinn led the crying Ana into the den as Kimi sneaked off to the practice room, unnoticed. Jessica came back with a cup of steaming tea, handed it to Aislinn and left also. Aislinn glared at Jessica's retreating back. She couldn't have made it more obvious that she disliked Ana. Never a smile, hello, or comforting word. Just a stiff face and jerky movements as she left.

"Drink this," Aislinn said, handing the cup to Ana. "It'll calm you down." Ana did as told and in minutes she was crying softly instead of hysterically. "Now," said Aislinn. "Tell me what's going on."

"That's the problem, Linn. I don't know! But I've been having really bad pains in my leg for three months."

"Did you break it?"

Ana shook her head. "I haven't done anything that would break it." She took a deep breath, tears still streaming down her face. "I think it may be a disease, Linn."

"What?"

"I don't know. I've never heard of a disease that does this." She lifted her pant leg. The skin underneath was growing soft, tawny brown and black hair. It was at least three inches long. "I shaved this morning and this is what it looks like now. The skin is like this all the way to my hip."

"Oh, no," Aislinn said as her stomach became sour. Not again.

"What is it, Aislinn?"

Aislinn leaned forward and looked Ana in the eye. "Ana, I need you to tell me anything that you may have drank in the last six months."

Ana cocked an eyebrow. "Aislinn, ya know I can't tell you that. Ya know me, I drink way too much to tell you exactly everything."

"Okay, let me elaborate. Have you ever met any guys that talk Japanese and dress in ninja costumes?"

"No," Ana said with a disbelieving laugh. "Linn, what are you talking about? Did ya hit your head or somethin'?"

"Have you ever seen any?" Aislinn asked, ignoring Ana's question.

"Well, now that you mention it, I did see Kojr talking to two men dressed like you described. But it was dark and I was kind of drunk, so I could have been hallucinating."

"What were you drunk on?"

"Some kind of alcohol Kojr gave me."

"Do you know what it was called?"

Ana shook her head. She smiled sheepishly. "Like I said, ya know me. I'll drink anything that will get me drunk."

"What did it taste like?"

"Well... I dunno. Jack Daniel's with something else mixed in. Strange, though, I remember it having a green tint to it. But it was really good."

Aislinn nodded her head sadly. "Okay. Well, you sit back and relax. Take a nap if you fell like it. I'm gonna go talk to Kimi. She knows all about diseases and stuff like that."

Ana nodded but before she could lay back on the couch, Aislinn asked, "Hey, Ana? What's your animal?"

"Scuse me?"

"Haven't you ever found out what animal you're most like?"

"Yeah. Kodiac bear, or so my aunt says."

"That's what I kinda figured. Well, get some rest."

Ana lay down on the couch and she closed her eyes. She was soon breathing deeply and evenly.

Picking up her bow and arrows, Aislinn trudged to the practice room. Opening the door, she closed it quietly and leaned against it. She took off her silver cloth headband that she always wore around her head and ran her fingers through her blonde hair.

The laughter inside the room stopped. Mikey stopped walking on his hands and flipped onto his hind legs...only to fall on his behind.

"Kelpie? What's wrong?" Merode asked, ignoring the laughter from the others and Mikey's complaining.

"Shredder. He's been testing again."

"On who?" Mikey asked, getting to his feet.

She let her arm flop back into place beside her and lowered her head, whispering, "On Ana."


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.**

Chapter 2

"You're kidding," Jessica said, horrified. It surprised Aislinn, considering Jessica hated Ana.

She shook her head. Then, without warning—surprising everyone, including herself—she turned and punched the wall. That was something only Merode did. Crying out, in anger more than pain, she felt the knuckle break.

Merode rushed over and pulled her away from the wall to sit her down on the bench. Then she crouched down next to Aislinn and looked into her eyes.

"Now why'd you go and do that, huh? You're already hurt enough from your own clumsiness and now you're going around hurting yourself on purpose. You're going to kill yourself one of these days."

Aislinn didn't answer. She just sat there, staring at an invisible spot on the floor. What was she supposed to tell Ana?

Mikey sat down next to Aislinn on the bench. "Hey, being a mutant isn't that bad." His hand rubbed her back as if to comfort her.

"Isn't that bad!" Aislinn shot to her feet, not only in rage, but to get away from his touch. He didn't repulse her; it was just that his touch seemed to brand her skin, even through her sweatshirt. She didn't understand that. "Don't you remember the pain you went through?"

"He wouldn't remember," said Merode. "First of all, he's hit his head too much with those nun-chucks of his to remember anything. Second, he was never human. He was changed into a mutant when he was a baby turtle."

"And I was a cute baby turtle, too!" Mikey said, grinning.

Merode chuckled.

Strangely, Aislinn was still serious. "Well, its painful. Especially if Shredder is testing to find out how much of the stuff it takes to change us. Its possible that me and Ana will be deformed like this for the rest of our lives."

"Actually, I don't think so," said Kimi through Jessica.

Aislinn looked at her, surprised. "What d'ya mean?"

"Well, give me your arm and I'll show you."

Aislinn removed her glove and pulled up the sleeve to reveal her arm.

"Take a look." Kimi pointed to just above the wrist. "See how you've got a lot of coarse hair going up your arm?"

"Yeah, so?"

"It wasn't like that before. I remember when you first showed us your hand. All you had were fingernails as hard as horse hooves. And haven't you been complaining of pains in your arm?"

Aislinn nodded. That was true.

Kimi nodded in turn. "See? Your insides are trying to adjust. You're turning more into a Kelpie everyday."

Aislinn frowned and snapped, "And that's something to be happy about?"

Kimi frowned and her fingers flew angrily. "I didn't mean it that way, Aislinn. I was just stating a fact."

"All right, everyone, calm down," said Jessica as everyone started fighting. They quieted at their leader's voice. "Let's figure out how we're going to tell Ana what's happening to her."

"Aye," said Aislinn. "We can't just go up to her and say, 'Ana, you're turning into a mutant bear, there's nothing we can do about it, and you're going to be like this for the rest of your life.'"

Mikey laughed, thinking it funny the way she said it.

"Don't mind him," said Merode when Aislinn shot her a look. "He's got the IQ of a rock."

"Hey!" Mikey protested. "I do not!"

"Prove it."

Mikey hesitated, his finger pointing up in the air. Then, deflated and slouching, he said, "Point taken."

They all laughed and even Aislinn grinned. Then she turned serious again. This was very unusual, considering she was the goofball of the group—thus her nickname, Kelpie. She was always the one to cheer them up. But right now wasn't a time to be fooling around. Her friend was in trouble.

"So how are we going to tell Ana?" she asked the group.

"Sorry to say this, Aislinn," said Kimi. "But its probably best if _you_ told her, rather than us. She'd listen to you better if she went into a fit."

"She's not going to go into a fit," Aislinn defended.

"Aislinn, think for a moment about her."

Aislinn smiled. "I guess you're right. She will. She never could handle bad news." She chuckled. "Except when I told her that I killed her boyfriend."

Jessica smiled, realizing Aislinn's need for a change of subject. "Yes, she was pretty happy."

"Happy?" Kimi said snorting. She looked at Merode and Mikey. "Ana flew into Aislinn's arms, crying, when she found out he was dead. And she wasn't crying out of sorrow."

"Yeah, well I'd be happy, too, if my boyfriend was as brutal as he was," Aislinn said.

Jessica nodded. "I would've killed him myself long before, 'cept that she begged us not to."

"What did he do to her?" asked Merode.

"Beat her constantly. There was never a day when she didn't have a new bruise from him. Once he even broke her nose after hitting her so hard," said Kimi.

"And you guys did nothing?" Merode asked, disbelieving. Yeah, she didn't like the Purple Dragons, but a woman being beaten was uncalled for. Especially for a girl that small.

"After he did that, of course I did something," said Aislinn. "He met up with a stranger in an ally that night." Aislinn smiled wickedly. "Let's just say he didn't force Ana—or any other girl, for that matter—into bed after that night."

The girls laughed as Mikey winced as if feeling the pain himself.

"You made him an Eunuch, then?" Merode asked, her eyes glittering with glee. She loved to hear of other's pain. Unless they were friends, thought Aislinn. Scratch that thought! She _loved_ to hear of Aislinn's pain. But only if the pain was dealt out by Merode herself.

Aislinn laughed. "You bet I did." She popped the ring dagger up, jerked it in the air as if reliving that night. Twisting it once, she then popped it back in. "That's exactly what I did. And I was very precise, if I do say so myself. It would've killed him, but someone in a car going by stopped when he rushed out of the alley and took him to the hospital."

"Jeez," Mikey said. "You have no mercy for men, do you?"

Aislinn giggled. "Not for men like him."

After the laughter died down, Aislinn stood slowly and groaned as if the weight of what she was about to do rested on her shoulders. "I guess I should get this over with."

"Do you want me to go with?" Merode asked, placing a hand on Aislinn's shoulder.

Aislinn nodded. "But you'll have to stay in the shadows until I tell you. Otherwise you might scare her and I'll never be able to explain."

Merode smiled mischievously. "That's what I do best."

Whether she meant hiding in the shadows or scaring people, Aislinn didn't know. She did know, however, that Merode did both very well. If Merode wished it, you'd never know she was there until she jumped at you. Aislinn should know. She was Merode's favorite target.

Out in the living room, Ana was still fast asleep. Aislinn sat next to the couch and looked for Merode. She was standing in a corner where the light from the lamp didn't reach. You had too look real hard to see her. Even then, all you saw was subtle outline of a body and the feint gleaming of yellow eyes.

Aislinn reached out and touched Ana's shoulder. "Ana, dear. Its time to wake up."

Ana's eyes fluttered open and she smiled sleepily at Aislinn. Rubbing her eyes and yawning, she sat up. "Did Kimi find out what it is?"

Aislinn nodded. "But first, I want to tell you something. And you can't freak out on me, alright?"

Ana nodded, somewhat confused.

"No one in this house will ever hurt you, understand?"

Her brows furrowing in utter confusion, she nodded.

Aislinn took a deep breath then began. "Do you remember a few days after I killed Han and you asked me why I always wore a glove?"

Ana nodded. "You told me you had an accident."

Aislinn nodded in turn. "I want to show you why I hid it. But first, I'm going to tell you how it happened. The day I killed Han, members of the ninja clan called The Foot captured me. They're the men you saw dressed in ninja costumes. They brought me back to their headquarters after knocking me unconscious with gas bombs. I was unconscious for three days until I woke tied to an operating table. When I was fully awake, they forced me to drink a green concoction that had a strange taste to it. A few days later, I escaped before they could force more into me."

Aislinn paused and pulled the glove off and shoved the sweatshirt sleeve up to her wrist. Ana gasped in horror.

"This is what they did to me. And its getting worse." She pulled the shirt up her arm all the way to her shoulder to reveal the white horsehide that turned brown near her elbow.

"Oh, God, Linn," Ana said with pity. "Does it hurt?"

Aislinn shrugged. "A bit."

A snort came from the corner where Merode stood. Ana didn't hear.

"Is this going to happen to me?" she asked, fearfully.

Aislinn nodded sadly. "But I'm turning into a horse. A Kelpie, actually, thus the reason why I'm thirsty all the time. Kelpies live in water. Anyway, you're turning into _your_ animal."

"I'm turning into a bear?" whined Ana.

Aislinn nodded and noticed the rest had moved into the room, all except Mikey. He was nowhere in sight. She looked back to Ana, saying, "Do you remember how I told you about my friend, Merode?"

Ana nodded, still distracted by the previous facts. "Yeah, you said that she disappeared four years ago."

"Aye, well, she's come back to us. And I'd like you to meet her. She was also a victim of the green drink."

On cue, Merode stepped from the shadows and walked up to them. Ana scurried away in horror and put the couch between her and the fox-mutant.

"Ana, it's okay—"

"Its...its a...a..."

"A fox, yes. It's okay. This is Merode. She won't hurt you. I promise. Just sit back and relax."

Seizing her chance, Merode grinned, showing her sharp teeth. "Don't be too sure, Kelpie, dear."

"Merode," Aislinn warned. "Don't, please..."

Ana shook her head as if to clear it, still staring at Merode with eyes as wide as silver dollars. "No. I ah...I...got things to do...I'm...I'm gonna go."

"Ana, wait!"

But Ana had already turned and ran out the door.

Aislinn started after her, but Merode stopped her. "Raph's got her."

"Who's Raph?"

"Hey," came a male voice. "This _thing_ yours?" Four turtle, including Mikey—stood in the doorway. The one in the red headband with sais in his belt was the one that had spoken. He stepped back to reveal a turtle in a blue headband with swords strapped to his shell. In his arms was a very unconscious Ana.

Aislinn rushed over. "What happened? What'd you do?"

"Hey, ho, slow it down," said the Redband. "We didn't do nuthin' but try to stop her from running. We saw her leaving the house in hurry and the purple dragon on her arm." He pointed to Ana's tattoo. "And figured somethin' was up. We tried to stop her, but she feinted."

"We think Mikey scared her," said a turtle in a purple headband. Mikey punched him in the arm and Purpleband punched back harder.

Redband took their heads in his hands and thumped them together getting protests from both. "Knock it off, you two."

When Redband's back was turned, Mikey stuck out his tongue. Next thing Mikey knew, Redband had slammed him up against the wall, pulling on the still protruding tongue. "You gonna stop now?"

When Mikey hesitated, Redband pulled harder. Mikey nodded quickly and Redband let the tongue snap back into Mikey's mouth. Jessica and Kimi were cracking up, tears rolling down their cheeks.

While this was happening, Blueband walked over to the couch and laid Ana down. "I'm going to need a warm compress to wake her."

Aislinn quickly went to the kitchen and ran a washcloth under warm water. Coming back, she brushed Blueband aside and kneeled next to Ana. Then she placed the wet cloth on her forehead.

"Ana. Ana, dear. Wake up."

It took several minutes, but finally the girl's eyes opened slowly. She sat up, confused. "Linn? What happened?"

"You feinted. You feeling okay?"

Ana put a hand to her forehead and pulled the cloth off. "I dreamt that you were turning into a horse. And you're friend, Merode, came back and she was half human, half fox. Then I ran out and these four half human, half turtles tried to stop me."

Merode laughed from behind Ana. "I don't think you were dreaming, kid."

Ana jumped and twisted to see the fox/woman standing next to one of the turtle/men from her dream.

She groaned and lay back down. "This ain't happenin'."

Aislinn smiled kindly. "I'm sorry, Ana but is," she said as she held up her deformed hand.

Ana started to cry. "Why does this happen to me? Why can't it happen to Kojr?"

Aislinn tried to hug the girl, but Ana pulled away and wiped her tears. "I think I should go," she said, sniffing.

"Ana, don't go. You need to know what's happening—"

"I know what's happening, Linn. Kojr betrayed me and now I'm turning into an animal. Like you and Merode and them four guys. But right now, I need to be by myself and think this out."

Aislinn sighed, but nodded. Ana got up, said her good-byes, and hurried out the door. The room was quiet. Then Jessica said to Aislinn, "I think you should follow her."

Aislinn shook her head. "She needs to be alone."

"Aislinn, she can't handle bad news on her own. You said that earlier. I think just to be safe, you should follow her."

"Why? Do you think she'll try something?"

Jessica nodded. "She's done it before, she'll do it again."

Aislinn nodded. That was true. That was how Ana and Aislinn had first met. Aislinn had talked Ana out of committing suicide after she found out she was pregnant with Han's baby. The baby had died long before it was born—why, no one knew—and Aislinn and Ana had become fast friends.

"I guess you're right," Aislinn said. She got up and went out the door, jogging down the steps and looking for Ana. She was just turning a corner up the block. She was headed home.

"Hey," said a voice from behind her. She jumped and spun then relaxed when she realized it was just Mikey. "Mind if I come with you?" he asked.

Aislinn started walking in Ana's direction. "As long as you stay quiet," she said.

He fell in beside her. "So why does Merode call you Kelpie?"

"Because I act like one."

Mikey stopped in his tracks. "You eat humans and leave their insides to float down your river?" he asked, horrified.

"No," Aislinn said, giving a snort of laughter. "You're talking of an evil-spirited Kelpie. I act like a good-spirited Kelpie. I romp around and make my friends laugh when they need comfort."

"Oh." He was silent for a moment. Then, "So who comforts you?"

"Didn't I ask you to stay quiet?"

"Yeah, but—"

"Then shut it."

"You're avoiding the question."

"We're here," she said as she stopped in front of a rundown apartment so much like Aislinn's own home.

"Dude, does everyone 'round here live like this?" Mikey asked.

"Yes, now be quiet."

Aislinn climbed up on a closed dumpster and peered in Ana's kitchen window. Ana was writing a note on the table—probably for her mother. Ana's mother worked all night and slept all day, so they barely saw one another. Ana's father had left when Ana had been conceived.

Aislinn watched as Ana moved to a kitchen cabinet, her back to Aislinn. She pulled something out and stuck it in the hem of her khakis. Then she headed for the front door.

"She's coming," said Aislinn as she jumped off the dumpster. Mikey was already moving into an alley. Aislinn followed and peeked out around the corner.

Ana came out, looked both ways and crossed the street then headed into an alley.

"Where's she goin'?" Mikey asked.

Aislinn frowned. "I dunno." She stepped out of the alley and hurried across the street, Mikey behind her.

After several minutes of following her, Ana finally stopped under a bridge that had a lit burning barrel underneath it. A single figure stood near the barrel.

"Ana? What are you doing here?" asked the figure. It was Kojr.

Ana pulled the object from the hem of her pants and held it up, pointing it at him. Aislinn's eyes widened when she realized it was a gun.

"You ruined my life!" screeched Ana.

Kojr's hands went up and his eyes went wide. "Hey, Ana, I dunno what yer talkin' 'bout. Just...put the gun down, ya know?"

"I'm talkin' 'bout the drug ya put in my alcohol, Kojr! It's deforming me!"

"Hey, Ana, I don't pick yer drink—"

"You put it there, Kojr!"

"They paid me to—"

Aislinn jumped as the gun went off and Kojr fell back. He hit the ground and didn't move again.

"Ana, no!" Aislinn shouted as Ana put the gun to her head. But it was too late.

Ana pulled the trigger and was dead before she hit the ground.

"No!" Aislinn screamed. She ran toward the limp body and fell to her knees next to her friend, pulling the girl into her arms. Tears were streaming down her face and into Ana' bloody hair. "Ana, no," Aislinn sobbed. "Come back, Ana."

Blood covered her arms and flowed over onto her lap, but Aislinn didn't care. Her best friend was dead.

A hand rested on her shoulder and she shoved it off. "Go away," she sobbed as she bent over her friend's limp corpse.

"Aislinn, we gotta get outta here before people come—" Mikey started.

"I don't care. Let them come."

"Aislinn—"

"Leave me be!" she cried then dissolved in sobs.

Mikey sighed and backed away, letting her cry.


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.**

Chapter 3

When the sun began to come up, Mikey went to Aislinn's side. "Aislinn, we gotta go now."

Aislinn didn't respond. She had stopped crying an hour before and had just stared off into space, rocking Ana's body back and forth.

"Aislinn, come on."

Still, she didn't answer.

Mikey reached down and pried Ana's body from Aislinn's grasp, but Aislinn didn't seem to notice. She just continued rocking, staring into space.

Mikey tried helping her to her feet, but she wouldn't stand up. All she would say was 'no' weakly and fall back down to her knees.

Sighing, Mikey picked her up and carried her away from the murder scene. Aislinn's face was against his chest; her arms curled together near her chin. She was cold to the touch and trembling severely. Small, dry sobs issued forth from her.

"Shh, it'll be okay," he whispered. "We'll get ya back home and stuff some pizza into ya. That always helps," he said, trying to lighten the mood. Aislinn said nothing, nor did she seem to hear.

She fell asleep before they reach the apartment and Mikey climbed the steps, kicking the door open, surprising Merode and Raph, who were sitting on the couch.

Mikey smirked. "Dudes, don't you know how to get a room by now?"

Raph glared at him. "Watch it, kid, or I'll deck ya."

Merode saw Aislinn, covered in blood and frowned, getting to her feet. "What happened?"

Mikey's smirk disappeared and he frowned as the others filed into the room, having heard him come in.

"The blood ain't hers, it's Ana's. She's dead. She went off and shot some guy then killed herself." He grunted as he shifted Aislinn. "Could ya show me where her room is? She's gettin' kinda heavy."

Merode nodded and showed him to Aislinn's room. He laid her down on the bed while saying, "She cried herself out until an hour before dawn. Then she just held Ana's body, rocking it like a doll. Once in a while she'd murmur something, but I couldn't catch it."

Kimi frowned, sadly and her hands moved with sorrow. "She went into shock," Jessica translated.

"Well, duh," said Raph. "She just watched her friend kill herself."

"Oh, shut, Raph," Merode said as she covered Aislinn with a blanket. There was a tenderness in her eyes that the others had never seen before.

Mikey smirked. "I think you've gone soft, Merode."

Merode glared at him. "You shut up too, Mikey, or I'll deck ya."

"Or not."

"Let's leave her to sleep," said Jessica.

Merode nodded and herded everyone out of the room. She took one last glance at Aislinn, then shut the door behind her. Her ears didn't miss the sound of soft crying coming from inside Aislinn's room as Merode walked down the hall.

Aislinn startled everyone when at dinner, she came cart wheeling into the kitchen.

"Good morning, everyone!" she said cheerily.

Everybody just stared at her, save for Merode who—knowing what she was up to—just shook her head and returned to her food.

Aislinn frowned slightly. "What? Y'all look like ya just seen a ghost or somethin'."

When no one answered her, she shrugged and skipped her way over to the fridge when she grabbed a pizza box and pulled it out. She frowned when she opened it.

"Hey! Who ate the last piece and put the box back empty?"

Each person in the room looked at Mikey who had a piece of pizza in his hand. He was standing next to the fridge, leaning against the counter and he looked as if he was a child who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "What? What'd I do?" he asked innocently.

Aislinn smiled wickedly and hit him over the head with the empty pizza box. Then she grabbed his piece of pizza and bit into it. "Thank you," she said around chewing.

"Hey!" Mikey exclaimed. "That was mine!"

Aislinn giggled. "Not anymore."

"Give it back!" Mikey said, reaching for the pizza. But Aislinn danced out of his reach and ran from the kitchen, still giggling.

Mikey chased after her.

Raph looked at Merode. "She's just like—"

"Mikey? Yup," said Merode, not looking up from her food.

"You mean she's—"

"A goofball? Yup."

Raph groaned. "Oh, dear God, now there's two of them!?!"

"Yup."

He placed his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands.

Merode patted his back. "Poor baby," she said with sarcastic sympathy as she smirked.

In the living room, Aislinn was giggling as Mikey chased her around the couch.

"Come on," Mikey whined, stopping. He stood in front of the couch while Aislinn stood behind it, still giggling. "Gimme it back!"

"Why?" Aislinn asked, taking another bite. "I paid for it."

"True, but I was eating it. Give it back." He lunged over the couch at her, one arm outstretched to grab the pizza. His hand latched onto her wrist, instead and e dragged her to the ground as he fell over the couch.

They wrestled for a while until Mikey finally pinned her, but she held the pizza just out of reach. He couldn't reach the pizza without letting up on his knees which pinned her legs to the ground.

"Give it here!" he said, reaching for it, then sitting back down on her legs and she tried to wriggle free.

She giggled and shook her head. Then she leaned upward and gave him what Merode called 'The Shocker'. She planted a kiss right on his beak.

It worked...as always.

He pulled back in surprise, the pizza suddenly forgotten.

She took her chance and gathered her knees underneath him, flipping him over her head and sending him flying onto his back. Giggling again, she got to her feet and ran down the hall.

Groaning, Mikey got to his feet and chased after her. "Come on!" he called. "Just gimme a piece of it!"

Still laughing, Aislinn ran into the practice room and slammed the door shut, pulling a bench in front of it. Then, as Mikey pounded on the door, she ran across the room and climbed up into the rafters of the room, hiding in a corner. She sat, eating the pizza as Mikey shoved his way into the room.

Mikey looked around as he came in, confused. She was nowhere in sight.

"Aislinn?" he asked, walking around the room.

Too late, he heard a snigger and looked up. Aislinn jumped down from the rafters and landed on him. They fell to the floor in a heap.

Then they wrestled again and Mikey pinned her once more. His knees pinned her legs to the ground as before and he held her wrists with both hands, trapping them against the floor.

That's when he realized she didn't have the pizza in her hands anymore. "Where'd you put the pizza?" he asked.

Giggling, Aislinn opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue, showing pieces of chewed pizza.

"Ah, dude," Mikey groaned. "Ya almost as bad as me."

She giggled, swallowing what was left of the pizza.

Then Mikey smiled mischievously. He mocked a sigh. "Guess there's only one way to get it back." He waggled his eyebrows—well, what should be eyebrows, if he had any.

Her eyes widened. "Mikey, don't you d—"

He cut her off as he kissed her.

He let go of her wrists as he deepened the kiss and she wrapped them around his neck, beginning to kiss back.

Without her noticing, he had slid his arms down her sides and before she knew it...he was tickling her!

She screeched as he pulled away and tried to push his hands away, to no avail.

"Stop it!" she squealed with laughter. "That tickles! Stop!"

"What is going on here?" asked a voice from the doorway.

They both looked up, Mikey's hands resting on Aislinn's hips. Merode and Raph stood in the doorway, both with their arms crossed over their chests.

Merode cocked an eyebrow, waiting for someone to answer her question.

"Umm..." Mikey said, looking down at Aislinn then back up at Merode. He shrugged. "I'm getting the pizza back?"

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"We should really be getting back to Master Splinter," said Leonardo the next morning.

"You guys should come with," said Mikey, his eyes on Aislinn.

"I dunno," Aislinn said doubtfully. "We can't just up and leave our home."

"Oh, come on," said Raph with disbelief as he rolled his eyes. "Not that I want you to come along, but this ain't a home if you haven't noticed. It's a dump."

Aislinn smirked then looked at Merode who was standing next to Raph. She kinda had a hunch that they were going together, though she wasn't quite sure since Merode hadn't said a word about it. "Don't blame me for that. Merode's the one who bought the place. You shoulda seen it before we moved in."

Merode gave her an evil look. "I would ask you to bite me, but I don't want hoof and mouth disease."

Aislinn gave Merode the finger.

Merode smirked. "Good luck to you, too, kid. Ya need it."

Aislinn glared at Merode then looked at the smiling Mikey who stood next to her. Without warning, she reached over and shoved him.

He stumbled back, shouting in protest. "Dude, what was that for?"

Aislinn grinned. "Well, I couldn't do that to her," she said pointing to Merode. "Cuz she'd kick my ass. And you're the only other body within reach, so why not?"

"I'll show you why not," he said, starting toward her, his hands up in tickling mode.

Screeching with laughter, Aislinn turned and ran. Mikey chased after her.

Merode rolled her eyes as the two ran in circles around the large living room.

"Gettin' old?" Raph asked her.

Merode nodded.

"It hasn't even begun," he said, smirking.

"I know," Merode groaned. "I'm beginning to regret coming back."

As Aislinn passed her, she stretched out and gave Merode a hug. "Ya know ya love us." Then, giggling as Merode swatted at her, she ran away. Mikey was still chasing her.

Merode looked up at Raph. "I'm so not havin' kids."

Aislinn passed them again and called out, still giggling, "Good! More practice in torture for me—oof!" She was cut off as Mikey crashed into her and tackled her to the ground. He then sat on top of her back, pinning her to the floor.

Merode laughed at the sight and Raph smirked. "Thank you," he said.

Mikey beamed at his brother. "No prob, dude."

Aislinn tried to get up, but he leaned over, pressing her back down. "Dude," she gasped. "This ain't cool. Lemme up! I can't breathe!"

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"Holy fuckin' shit," said Aislinn as she craned her neck back to stare at the entertainment system that belonged to the four turtles.

They were at the turtles' home in the sewer on the other side of New York. And Aislinn liked it! The entertainment center was huge! It totally made up for the smell.

"Watch your mouth, kid," Merode said.

Aislinn grinned. "I would ask you to bite me, but I'd rather not acquire rabies."

Merode smirked back. "You've been really bored lately, haven't you?"

Aislinn's smirk faded slightly, wondering where Merode was going. "What d'ya mean?"

"You just used the word 'acquired'. Since your brain's too primitive to be using such big words, I figured you've been getting really bored and reading the dictionary."

Aislinn stuck out her tongue at Merode.

Merode made a face. "No thank you. I don't swing that way."

Giving a sound of frustration, Aislinn turned at the sniggering Mikey and shoved him again.

"Dude!" Mikey shouted. "Now what I do?

Aislinn grinned again, shrugging. "Same as before."

"Oh, god," moaned Merode. "Here we go again."

Sure enough, Mikey took off after the giggling Aislinn.

Suddenly, a larger than life rat entered the room and thumbed his tail sharply on the pavement in time with his walking stick. "What is all this noise?" he asked.

Aislinn stopped in her tracks, surprised, and Mikey collided into her. They tumbled down, limbs entangled as they hit the ground.

That rat's bushy eyebrows as he stared at the two. "I wasn't aware we had guests."

Leonardo stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Sensei, this is Jessica, Kimberly, and Aislinn." He gestured to each one in time. "They're friends of Merode's. We've brought them home to stay with us."

"Well," said Aislinn, still on the floor grinning. "I wouldn't go so far as friends. I mean, she did abandon us for four years."

Merode grinned back. "Wonderful. And here I thought I'd actually have to pretend to like you."

Aislinn's grin broadened. "You know you love us."

Merode gave a snort that said, 'Yeah, right.'

"So, Sensei," said Mikey as he helped Aislinn to her feet. "Can we keep them?"

Splinter caught sight of Aislinn's forearm before she shoved the sleeve back down. So his sons weren't the only ones that had been influenced by the Shredder. He thought for a moment as he studied Aislinn's face. She looked familiar, though he couldn't place her.

He looked to the other two girls. He couldn't see any deformities on them, but things could be hidden.

"Come on, Sensei," said Donatello. "Their place is pigsty. I'm surprised they've lived there that long."

Kimberly's hands flew and Jessica translated. "It wasn't that bad," she said, smirking. "Jessica and I were very good housekeepers."

"Hey!" Aislinn said. "What about me?"

Kimberly made a sound that could've been a laugh. "You were the reason Jessica and I had to clean house."

They laughed as Aislinn glared at Kimi. The mute girl just smiled back innocently.

Even Splinter gave a small chuckle. He didn't like the idea of three more teenagers running around, he didn't think his old nerves could take it. Especially if his Aislinn was anything like Michaelangelo. He didn't think his heart could stand any more practical jokes. It was bad enough having two students like Merode and Raphael.

Then again, he thought, Aislinn would be forced into hiding sooner or later by the looks of her arm. And they seemed to accept his sons readily, which was a big change from the humans.

"Sensei?" Leonardo asked hopefully.

Splinter sighed and gave a nod. "Very well."

"Yahoo!" Mikey exclaimed, picking Aislinn up by her hips and twirling her around.

"What the hell!?!" screamed Aislinn, smiling. "Dude, put me down!" she screeched as she hit him.

Raph gave a disgusted grunt as Mikey put her down, sputtering his apologies.

Splinter sighed knowingly as the others snickered behind their hands.

Merode only frowned.

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"That girl is even stranger than Mikey," Raph commented to Merode later that day.

Mikey and Aislinn had made a huge bowl of popcorn and now sat on the couch, watching movies.

Merode smiled. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed."

Raph grunted in response. "It's not right," he said after a while. "Her friend just committed suicide and she's acting as if the world's never been better."

Aislinn giggled and Mike said something. Then he laughed as Aislinn's mouth fell open in disbelief. She picked up a handful of popcorn and threw it at him.

"Don't overestimate her actions. She's hurtin' badly," Merode said as Mikey salvaged the popcorn pieces and threw them back at Aislinn.

Raph snorted as Aislinn giggled, dumping the huge bowl of popcorn over Mikey's head. "It looks like it," he said sarcastically.

Merode smiled softly, almost kindly...almost. "When she's sad, she doesn't want others to know it. So she hides it by acting—"

"Stupid?"

Merode gave a small laugh. "Yeah, that too. She hides her sorrow behind a mask of happiness. That's just the way she is."

Raph smirked. "So, she's one of those sickos that laugh at funerals?"

Merode smirked in return. "Actually, you _could_ say that, yes. I was at her parents' funeral when she was ten. Everyone there though she would be overcome with grief, but she only cried once and that was when they lowered the caskets into the ground. She didn't sob, didn't go into hysterics, she just let a few tears fall then wiped them away. The rest of the funeral, she was telling them funny stories about her parents so the others there would smile and laugh. But if you looked close enough, you could see the pain and sadness in her eyes."

"Sounds like you knew her well," Raph said.

"I did then and I do now. She was there the day Shredder forced the mutation on me and I was there the day her parents died. We helped each other escape from Shredder. She led the way and I fought off the opposition."

"How did her parents die?" Raph asked, more out of curiosity than sympathy.

"Shredder killed them," was all Merode would say.

Raph was silent as he watched Aislinn and Mikey wrestle for the remote control. He thought about what Merode had told him. Something bothered him. "How did she know the way out? Wouldn't they have knocked her out or blind-folded her when they brought her in?"

Merode kept her eyes on Aislinn and Mikey. "I can't tell you. That's something she'll have to confess when the time is ready."

"You know, don't you?"

Merode didn't look surprised. Raph knew her better than anyone ever had or ever would. She just nodded. "Me and Shredder are the only ones that know. Its up to Aislinn whether or not its going to stay that way."


	5. Chapter 4

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.**

Chapter 4

_A week later..._

Mikey scratched his head, looking at the pile of comics before him. Where had he put his bug-man comic book? He snapped his fingers. Aha! He had left it in the bathroom next to the washer and dryer when he had been doing chores.

Getting to his feet, not bothering to clean up his mess, he walked to the bathroom. Damn, he thought when he heard the shower and loud music. Someone was in there.

"Hey, guys," Mikey said as Donny and Leo passed. "Ya know who's in the shower?"

Leo opened his mouth to say something, but Donny said quickly, "Raph is. Ain't that right, Leo?" Donny asked, nudging Leo in the ribs.

"Yeah," Leo said, catching on.

"Thanks," Mikey said and turned, opening the door. He didn't pay any mind to the strange way his brothers were acting. Hey, they were weird, what's to say? He closed the door behind him, music blasting his ears.

Donny and Leo smiled mischievously and stepped closer to the door.

Mikey started digging through the heap of clothes near the dryer. "Hey, Raph, have ya seen my bug-man comic book?" Mikey said, trying to be heard over the music.

No answer. He probably could hear over the shower and music.

"Dude, what the shell are ya listenin' to?" Mikey went over to the CD player and picked up the CD case. "Evanescence? Dude, what happened to your taste in music?"

No answer.

He put the CD case back down and smirked as an idea came to him. He put a finger on the flusher to the toilet. Did he dare...?

Oh, yes.

The toilet flushed and there was a scream as the cold water disappeared from the shower.

Mikey literally bent over with laughter at the scream. Raph screeched like a girl!

He turned as he heard Raph jump out of the shower to escape the scalding hot water.

The laughter caught in his throat and he stared bug-eyed.

"What the hell—?" Aislinn's sentence halted as she turned toward him. Then she screamed.

Mikey screamed in turn and threw up his hands to block the view. Much good that it did. He had seen everything there was to see.

Aislinn grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her. "Mikey! What the hell do you think you're doing!?! Get out!"

"I'm sorry!" Mikey blubbered. "I didn't mean to flush the toilet on you! Well, actually, I did. But I didn't know it was you! I thought you were Raph. I mean...I thought Raph was you! I mean—"

"Get out, Mikey!" Aislinn grabbed the nearest thing—which happened to be the plunger—and hit him over the head. "Out!" she screeched. "Get out now!"

"I'm—ow! I'm goin'—ow! Hey that—ow! Stop—ow!"

Donny and Leo leaped out of the way as the door swung open and Mikey ran out.

"And stay out! Perv!" came Aislinn's voice.

Mikey turned. "Aislinn, I'm sorry! I didn't know—" He was cut off as the plunger soared out of the bathroom and hit him in the face...where it stuck, suctioned around his mouth.

The door slammed shut.

Donny and Leo took one look at Mikey, the plunger sticking straight out from his beak, and fell to the floor, laughing.

Mikey grabbed the handle of the plunger and jerked several times before it came off with a loud _slurp!_ He glared at his brothers. "Thanks a lot, guys."

Laughing, Don sat up. "No prob, little bro. Just tryin' to help ya get laid in any way we can," he chuckled.

Growling, he launched himself at his brothers, swinger the plunger like one of Leo's katanas as his brothers ran from him.

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Aislinn walked into the lair and closed the door behind her as supper was served. The smell of pizza drew her to where the others sat around several boxes. She sighed with relief. Mikey wasn't with them.

She sat down, setting her skateboard next to her, and grabbed a piece of pizza.

"Where have you been?" Merode asked, biting into her own pizza.

Her mouth full, Aislinn pointed to her skateboard. She swallowed. "The skate pit. Why?"

"You missed lunch," Merode said, concern in her voice.

Aislinn shrugged. "Wasn't hungry." She grabbed another piece of pizza, having finished with the first.

Don's door opened and Mikey stepped out. "I smell pizza!" he exclaimed.

Since Mikey was the youngest of the brothers, he had moved in to Don's room so the girls could have a room.

Aislinn put her half-eaten pizza down and grabbed her skateboard. Getting to her feet, she headed for the door.

"Where you goin'?" Merode asked.

"Back out," Aislinn called over her shoulder harshly as she passed Mikey.

"Aislinn, wait—" Mikey started.

"Shove it, Mikey." She slammed the door behind her.

"Sheesh," said Raphael. "What d'ya do to her, Mike?"

Mikey rubbed the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed. "I kinda walked in on her while she was in the shower this morning."

"You what!?!" Merode asked, jumping forward.

"Donny and Leo told me Raph was in the shower. I was lookin' for my bug-man comic. I thought it'd be funny if I flushed the toilet on Raph, so I did." His cheeks turned red. "Cept it wasn't Raph that jumped out."

"Oh my god," Merode groaned, leaning back on the couch and laying her head back as if she had a sudden headache.

Raph whistled. "You've sure dug yerself a hole, little bro."

Mikey nodded. "I tried to tell her that I didn't know it was her, but she won't listen."

Merode leaned over and slapped the sniggering Don and Leo across the back of their heads. "What were you thinking?" she scolded them.

Donny began choking on his pizza and Merode smacked his head again. He swallowed as Merode continued, "I suppose it was your idea to trick Mikey, genius?"

"Well, yeah," said Donny as he rubbed the back of his head where she had hit him. "But why are you getting mad at me? He's the one who's so gullible." He pointed to Mikey.

Merode slapped him over the head again. Before she could start her lecture, however, Splinter pounded his walking stick on the floor. "Enough, Merode."

Merode gritted her teeth, but sat back. "Yes, Sensei."

"Donatello," said Splinter. "You should be ashamed. It was wrong of you to deceive Michaelangelo and embarrass Aislinn."

Donatello bowed his head, guilt on his face. "Yes, Sensei. I know."

"You will apologize to both of them and then scrub the bathroom spotless every day for the rest of the week."

"But, Master Splinter—"

"Two weeks."

When it looked like Donny was going to protest again, Splinter added, "Don't make me make you use a toothbrush in your cleaning."

Donatello lowered his head. "Yes, Master Splinter."

"As for you, Leonardo," Splinter said. "Being the eldest of your brother and their leader, I expected better from you."

Leonardo looked down at his hands. "Yes, Sensei."

"You'll apologize to Aislinn and Michaelangelo and for the next three days you'll practice an extra five minutes after the others have finished. Tomorrow, you'll set an hour aside to meditate."

Leonardo knew better than to argue. "Yes, Sensei."

"Where'd Mikey go?" Raph asked, looking around. Mikey wasn't anywhere to be seen. "He hasn't even ate yet."

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Aislinn skateboarded to the pit not far from the lair. It was different from the one she used to go to, but it didn't matter. The only reason she had gone to the old pit was to hang out with Ana and her friends. But Ana was gone now.

Aislinn felt the familiar pang of hurt and her eyes filled with tears. She still cried herself to sleep at night after everyone else had fallen into slumber. Ana had been like a sister to her. Sometimes even like a mother, even though the girl had been younger.

Aislinn wiped the tears away and entered the pit, but stopped her board. Instead of skating, she sat on the edge of a ramp and thought. She thought of what had happened in the past few weeks: Merode had come back. Ana had died. Aislinn and her friends had found a new home.

Aislinn smiled at that particular thought. Home. Is that what she called the sewer lair now? In a way, yes. Splinter had become like a father to her, and she knew the other girls felt the same. The turtles had become like brothers. Except Mikey. For a while, he had been closer than a brother.

But if he had been closer than a brother, why should a single incident change that? She wasn't sure. She really wasn't positive why she was mad at him. After all, it was bound to happen sooner or later, living under the same roof. Technically, she wasn't really even mad at him. She was just embarrassed.

She smiled again, recalling her friends' attempts to find out why she had avoided Mikey before she left that morning. They had come in pairs. First Leonardo and Jessica, then Kimberly and Donatello. Merode and Raphael hadn't bothered her. She knew Raph just didn't care. Merode, on the other hand, was glad she was mad at Mikey. She was afraid Aislinn would become more than friends. Like Jessica and Leo were beginning to. And like Don and Kimi.

Aislinn snorted with mirth. Like that would ever happen.

"What's so funny?" a voice asked as a hand landed on her shoulder. She jumped and spun. Then she groaned silently. Mikey.

"What're you doin' here?" she asked harshly.

He sat down beside her. "I wanted to apologize for this morning."

Aislinn got to her feet, but he grabbed her wrist to keep her from leaving.

"Will ya just listen to me?" he asked, slightly irritated. "I came all the way down here to apologize. Now that's gotta count for somethin'."

Aislinn snatched her hand away. "I don't want your apology. I want to be left alone." She turned and started to leave.

"Jeez, Aislinn!" he half-shouted with frustration as he got up. "Why are you so mad at me?" He grabbed her shoulder and turned her toward him.

"Let go!" Aislinn said, shoving his hand off.

He only grabbed her wrist again. "Not until you tell me why you're acting like this."

"You purposely walked in on me while I was in the shower!"

"I know, but come on. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"I would rather have had it happen later." She shoved him away and whirled to walk away. "As in next to never!"

"Come on, Aislinn. It's not like it's nothin I ain't seen before."

She turned sharply to him. "Excuse me?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I may be a mutant turtle, but Playboy ain't that hard to get a hold of. 'Sides," he blushed slightly again. "Ya kinda left the door open when you were dressin the other day."

Aislinn slapped him hard across the cheek. "How dare you! Not only do you walk in on me in the shower, now I find out your a Peeping Tom as well!"

"No, I didn't mean...I mean...The door was open and I just happened to glance in that direction..."

"I can't believe you!" She spun to walk away once more, but this time she stopped in her tracks. Twenty men from the Foot Clan stood in a semi-circle around them.

"Is there a problem here, Miss Aislinn?" asked one who stepped forward as he spoke.

Aislinn took a step backward, recognizing his voice, and stood in front of Mikey. "No, Yasahiro. I'm fine." Although she tried to keep her voice calm, it came out as a whisper.

Yasahiro frowned through his mask. "Master Shredder wishes to see you again."

"I'm not interested, Yasahiro."

"Forgive me, but I have orders to—"

"Cut the formalities, Yasahiro. I ain't goin'."

"Master Shredder said you'd say something like that. Which is why he sent the others."

Aislinn pressed the button on her ring. "Yasahiro, don't make me fight you. We were friends once. Doesn't that friendship still hold?"

Yasahiro bowed his head in acknowledgement. "It does. I have great respect for what you did for the others and me. But we have strict orders to bring you to Master Shredder. You'd be better off if you come willingly."

Aislinn shook her head. "I ain't goin' back."

"So be it. I'm sorry, Aislinn." He lifted his hand and the ninjas surged forward...

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She took the first out with a punch to the solar plexus followed by a palm strike to the face. The second she brought down with two swift slashed in the neck.

"Mikey?" she called.

"Right here!" came his reply from behind her. "Don't worry 'bout me. I've got your back covered."

Another ninja rushed her. She gave him a quick double punch to the abdomen, her dagger sliding in and twisting back out. She barely had time to shove him aside before another came for her. She aimed a spinning crescent kick at his head, knocking him out.

"Aislinn! Look out!"

Aislinn spun, striking out with her dagger. Blood gushed as it cut through an artery in the ninja's neck.

Blocking a punch and side kicking another ninja, she said, "Thanks, Mikey."

"Ah, shit! Ais—oof!"

Suddenly, the ninjas backed off as one and Aislinn turned to look. She swore softly, heaving from exertion.

"Aislinn, run!"

Mikey was held between two ninjas and a third, Yasahiro, held a knife to his throat.

"Give it up, Miss Aislinn," Yasahiro said. "For the sake of your friend."

"No, Aislinn!" His eyes widened abruptly as he spotted something over her shoulder. "Aislinn! Behind—"

Something cracked hard against the back of Aislinn's head, throwing her to the ground. Stars exploded with excruciating pain in her head. Her skateboard landed beside her.

"Aislinn! Bastards, let me go! Aislinn!"

Darkness overcame her and she knew no more.


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.**

Chapter 5

Aislinn's eyes opened, but she squeezed them shut again to seal out the light. She groaned from the pain in her head.

"Well, its about time," said a familiar female voice. She felt a hand lift her head and an ice pack was placed under her head.

Aislinn winced then attempted to open her eyes "Sharon?" she asked.

"No, Santa Clause. Of course its me, girl!" the woman exclaimed. Sharon was in her early twenties and had long black hair which she kept down. She showed her nice figure off by wearing short-shorts and spaghetti-strap tank tops that revealed a belly button ring. A butterfly tattoo peeked out from the waist of her low-riding jean shorts. Another tattoo—the purple dragon—wrapped around her upper arm. "How are you feeling?"

"Like someone hit me with a sledge hammer."

"Close, but no cigar. Your skateboard. And it gave you quite a bump."

"Yeah, I can feel it touchin' the backs of me eyes."

Sharon grinned. "I suppose so. But I checked your pupils like you taught me and I don't think you've got a concussion."

Aislinn nodded and looked at her surroundings. She sighed. She should've known. She was in her old room at Shredder's hideout.

"Where's Mikey?" Aislinn asked, concerned for the turtle.

"Who?"

"Mikey. The turtle."

Sharon looked at her with a cocked eyebrow. "Maybe they hit your head harder than I thought."

"Never mind," Aislinn said. Obviously they had left him behind. The question now was if he was alive.

"Master Shredder wishes to see you as soon as you're able," Sharon said.

"I ain't able," Aislinn said, sitting up. She looked over to her window. It was barred over. Great.

They did that a few days before they brought you here."

"How long have I been out?"

"Bout two days."

Aislinn probed the back of her head, trying to get a picture on how large the bump was.

"You know, Aislinn," Sharon said. "You really shouldn't put off seeing Master Shredder. He gets irritated."

"Shredder can kiss my ass. I don't want anything to do with him."

"But he wants something you have."

"I know. But he ain't gettin' it."

"Why don't you just give it to him? Then he'd leave you alone."

"For two reasons," Aislinn said, still feeling the bump. "First of all, I promised my mom and dad before they died that I'd never give it to him, no matter what. Second, if I gave it to him, he could do anything. Nothing could stop him from taking over the world. I know that sounds a bit cliche, but it's true."

"What is it, anyway?" Sharon asked.

"An archaic pendant that's been in my mother's family for years. Used correctly, one can call the spirits of the ancient warriors. The spirits are indestructible and are at the caller's disposal. It's like having a genie that likes to kill. Only the blood of the maker or her descendent can stop the spirits."

"Who was the maker?"

"Don't know her name. Neither did my parents. Legend says she was a kitsune who left the pendant to her lover to protect him from her master, but that's all that's known. Me and my descendants are supposed to find her or her own descendant and return it to her so she can destroy it."

Sharon considered a moment, then she shook her head with a smile. "You japs and your superstition."

Aislinn smiled back, knowing Sharon wasn't insulting her. She was just ignorant.

"I don't see why you don't just give it to him anyway," Sharon said as Aislinn rose and crossed the room to the barred window. "After all, if its as old as you say it is, how are you even sure it still works?"

Aislinn grabbed the bars and tugged a few times, determining how much forced she would need to break free. Too much, she found. Force she didn't have.

"I _don't_ know," Aislinn said. "But I'm not about to take a chance by giving it to him only to find out it does work. Besides, once he had it, he'd kill me. I'm a thorn in his side. On he'd be too happy to get rid of. And forgive me for saying it, but I'd rather not pass into the afterlife at this point in time."

Aislinn looked out the window. Even if she could get the damn bars loose, it'd be a hell of a jump. Down eighteen plus stories.

There was a sudden knock on her door that made her jump. She went to the door and looked out the small peephole. Yasahiro. With two ninjas.

She turned away from the door and went back to the window, calling over her shoulder, "I ain't awake yet, Yasahiro. Go away."

There was a thud as the bolt was thrown aside and the door opened. Yasahiro and the two ninjas stepped inside. The two wore masks, so Aislinn wasn't sure who they were.

"Do you hate me so much, Miss Aislinn?" Yasahiro asked.

"No, Yasahiro. Just your boss. Whom I don't wanna see right now."

"Again, I'm sorry. But I have orders. Master Shredder wishes to see you."

"If he's so damn urgent to see me, why doesn't he come here?"

"He's the master, Aislinn. His subjects come to him."

"Well, I ain't his subject. If he wants to see me, he can come to me. So until otherwise told, I want you all to leave."

"But Master Shredder—" Sharon started.

"Now, Sharon! All of you! Out of my room!"

Yasahiro and Sharon looked at each other and Yasahiro shrugged, then turned and left. The two ninjas followed. Sharon was the last to leave. Before she closed the door, she said, "If you need anything, Aislinn, just call for us. We've been ordered to give you anything you want."

When Aislinn opened her mouth to say something, Sharon added, "Except your freedom." Then she closed the door and bolted it behind her.

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Aislinn worked at the wood with her spoon doggedly. It had been three days since she had banished the others from her room.

That first day she had slipped her spoon underneath the mattress after her mealtime. She had preferred a fork, or better, a knife, but as of yet she hadn't been served food that required those utensils.

So she had begun to dig a hole around a bar in the window. She hoped she could eventually work the bar loose, but that goal seemed for off. Already her spoon resembled a square with a handle.

She switched hands and continued toiling at the hole. Her fingers hurt as did her wrists. She had splinters under her fingernails and in her palms. She was tired, too. She had worked at her task day and night for three days, stopping only to hide the spoon when her meals came.

There was a knock on her door. Aislinn rushed over to the bed, shoving the spoon under the mattress. She grabbed a book she had been given in case whoever it was tried to come in.

"Go away," she said.

"Master Shredder—" started Yasahiro from the other side.

"Can screw himself. Go away, Yasahiro."

Aislinn pretended to be engrossed in her book as the door opened. "Yasahiro," she said impatiently. "I said..." her sentence trailed away as she looked up. Her eyes widened. "You!"

"Me, indeed," said Oroku Saki.

She glared at him. "What do you want?" she spat venomously.

"You know what I want, dear sweet niece of mine." He waved his hand and Yasahiro bowed respectively before backing out of the room and bolting the door behind him. "I see you've been busy," the Shredder said, looking to her window.

Aislinn gritted her teeth and chose not to answer him.

He looked at her, studying her. Then he said, "If you'd give me the amulet, I would let you free."

"By killing me, right?"

He shrugged. "You'd be free."

"You seem to be forgetting part of the amulet's legend, _uncle_," she said the title with a disgusted sneer. "My mother's ancestors and her descendents are the keepers of the amulet until—"

"Until it is returned to the kitsune," Oroku finished. "Yes, I know. And I do not care. Tell me where the amulet is!"

"Never." When he stepped forward, hate in his eyes and another shout of rage on his lips, she added, "I'm not finished! The legend states that if the keeper is killed before the amulet is returned or before her daughter can take her place, she will come back to life when the spirits are called. She will be just as indestructible, but she will _not_ be under the power of the caller. So you see, dear sweet uncle of mine, even if by some miracle you get your hands on the amulet, you can't get rid of me."

"You lie," said Saki, outraged.

"Very rarely. The amulet has been in my family for centuries, Oroku. Would like to test my word? I can guarantee you that I'll haunt you for the rest of your days. However short they will be."

The Shredder studied her again, barely keeping rein on his anger. No, he wouldn't like to be proven wrong. "Where is the amulet?" he growled.

Aislinn smiled victoriously and made the childish movement of zipping her lips closed, locking them and throwing away the key.

Roaring in frustration, he backhanded her. She cried out, falling to the floor, as the metal claws on his gloves raked across her cheek.

She held a hand to the gashes as Oroku grabbed her by her hair and forced her to kneel. He shook her and Aislinn cried out. "Where's the amulet!?!" he shouted at her.

Gathering her courage, she spit at him. "Hidden where you'll never find it, son of a bitch!"

He slapped her again, this time with an open palm across her other cheek. He then stood over her and placed the metal claws to her throat. "You'll tell me where the amulet is, or—"

"Or what, uncle?" She sat up partly, the claws pressing dangerously close to her jugular. "Or you'll kill me? Go ahead, I dare you! Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to haunt and torture you until your dying days."

Bellowing in rage, he picked her up by the throat and slammed her against the wall.

She grunted in pain as he pressed in close. "There are other ways of making you talk, insolent brat." He smiled evilly, his claws at her chin.

She glared at him defiantly. "Do what you wish, asshole. You'll never find the amulet."

"Oh, really? Then you wouldn't mind if I stopped by the turtle's lair to re-acquaint with your friends? What was the youngest named? Ah, yes. Kimberly. Little mute Kimi. I wonder if she thinks of her parents often?"

Aislinn's eyes had long since widened at the threat of her friends. She swallowed. "You don't know where they are."

"Oh, I don't do I? Would you like to test my word, my dear sweet niece?"

When Aislinn hesitated, Shredder called over his shoulder, "Yasahiro."

The door unlocked and opened then Yasahiro stepped in. "Yes, Lord Shredder?"

"Prepare you men for a visit to the turtle's lair."

Yasahiro bowed respectively. "Yes, Master Shredder." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" cried Aislinn.

This time Saki smiled victoriously.

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They made a deal. In exchange for her friends' protection, Aislinn would give him the amulet. It was hidden across-seas—where, Aislinn hadn't told—and it would be shipped to America within the week. Now to warn her friends of its arrival.

Sharon brought a cell phone to Aislinn and she dialed the lair's number as Sharon cleaned the angry gashes on Aislinn's cheek.

Raphael answered the phone on the second ring. "Yeah, what d'ya want?"

"Raph? It's Aislinn. Is—"

"Aislinn!?! Guys, it's Aislinn!" he shouted away from the phone. "Where the hell are you?" Raph asked.

Aislinn started to answer, but a scuffling sound cut her off and Merode snatched the phone from Raph. "Aislinn!" her friend shouted into the receiver. "Where are you!?!"

"I can't tell you where or you'll come after me."

"Well, duh. Why—?"

"Because I don't want to put you all in danger. And because I need you to do two things for me."

"I ain't doin' shit until you tell me where you are."

Aislinn watched Sharon pull a needle and thread from her first aid. "Shred-head's got me and he wants the amulet." She shook her head at Sharon.

Sharon shrugged and drew two lines down her own cheek and gestured, explaining that the two gashes had to be stitched.

'Not now.' Aislinn mouthed. Sharon shrugged.

"Shit," said Merode. "D'ya know where ya are?"

"No," Aislinn lied. "I was unconscious when they brought me in." At least that part was true.

"We'll find ya, Aislinn. Don't worry—"

"No, Merode. I don't want you to find me. Its too dangerous." She stood up as Sharon sat next to her, needle ready. Sharon grabbed her by the shoulder and forced her to sit back down on the chair.

"What was that?" Merode asked when she heard Aislinn plop down into the chair.

"Nuthin'," Aislinn grumbled, giving in and sitting still. "Listen, the amulet will arrive in the mail by Friday. It's addressed to Ana's old place. Her mom moved out after she died so you should have no problem getting it. Once you do have it, I want you to bring it to our old place. I'll meet you there." She added quickly, "And only one of you come because I'll most likely be escorted by twenty or so Foot Soldiers and I don't want them getting any ideas that its an ambush."

Sharon finished stitching the smaller of the two severe gashes and cut the thread.

"You're askin' the impossible from me, kid," Merode said.

"I know, but ya gotta do what I say, Merode. I don't want anyone gettin' hurt."

"So in exchanged for the amulet, you get to come home, right?"

"Somethin' like that." Aislinn then hissed in pain as Sharon began closing the largest gash. Damn! That hurt like hell!

"What's wrong?" Merode asked.

"Nuthin'," she repeated through gritted teeth. "Stubbed my toe. How's Mikey?" she asked, changing the subject.

"What d'ya mean? We thought he was with you."

Aislinn felt her heart plummet. Oh, no. "I haven't seen him since I arrived. I figured they left him behind."

"No way. He's gotta be there. Shredder wouldn't let one of his archenemies slip through his fingers."

Aislinn looked at Sharon. Sharon shrugged and turned Aislinn's head back to its original position so she could finish stitching.

"Shit," Aislinn seethed. "Merode, I gotta go."

"But—"

"I need you to do something else for me. I need you to relocate. Don't tell me where, this phone is probably tapped. Just get far away from the lair. I've got a pretty good hunch Shred-head knows where you are."

"Aislinn—"

"Gotta go, Merode. Tell everyone I love them."

Aislinn hung up the phone.

"Yasahiro!" she shouted angrily. "Yasahiro! Get the hell in here!"

It took a few minutes, but finally the door opened and Yasahiro stepped in. He bowed respectively, but not as low as he had to Shredder. "Yes, Miss Aislinn?" he asked as Sharon clipped the thread.

Aislinn stood and walked toward him. "Don't you 'Miss Aislinn' me. Where is he?"

"Who—?"

"Mikey! Where is he?"

"I haven't the slightest—"

"Bullshit, Yasahiro! Don't lie to me. Now where the hell is the turtle?"

"Oh, the turtle. I wasn't aware he had a name. He's been locked up under the orders of Lord Shredder."

"Take me to him."

"Lord Shredder is—"

"Not him. Mikey."

"I'm sorry, Miss Aislinn, but Master Shredder has ordered no one to enter that room. You'd have to take it up with him."

Aislinn gritted her teeth. She detested having to ask the Shredder for anything. Still, she needed to know if Mikey was okay. "Fine. Take me to him."

"He's—"

"I said take me to him, Yasahiro."


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, ****Amé,**** and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time. I'm hoping things will pick up on my postings, however, as soon as I can get my Internet re-connected. Until then, however, my postings are most likely going to have to wait until the weekends while I'm at work.**

Chapter 6

Aislinn stepped into the Dojo, escorted by two ninjas, Yasahiro, and Sharon. The smell of sweat and blood met her nostrils, but she ignored it as she approached the Shredder who stood watching the ninjas practice with his back to her.

Her escorts fanned out at a distance, waiting for her to finish talking with their master. They would then take her back to her room.

"You said you wouldn't harm any of my friends if I gave you the amulet," Aislinn said, standing about three feet behind Shredder.

"And I haven't," Oroku said, not turning toward her. "Not since we made our deal."

"I demand to see Mikey."

Saki turned slightly and glanced at her. "No," he said, matter-of-factly, then turned away again, indicating the end of the conversation.

But Aislinn wasn't about to give up. "Then you can forget about the amulet. I've addressed the amulet to go to their place as soon as it reaches America. They refuse to give it to me until Mikey is returned to them." She quickly added, "Alive and in one piece."

Shredder turned to face her. He gave what could have been a smile from behind his mask. "Yet they didn't ask for you back?"

Aislinn shrugged as if it didn't matter.

Saki studied her, then turned away once more, saying, "We shall just pay them a visit when the amulet arrives."

"They are relocating as we speak."

Oroku turned sharply to see her grinning painfully. "I doubt you'll find them," she continued. "They've been given sufficient warning."

Saki was silent. Then he said, "My dear little niece, always one step ahead of me. You remind me of your mother." He paused. Then, "She was a feeble bitch who fell in love with the wrong man at the wrong time. What she saw in that weakling half-brother of mine, I'll never know."

Aislinn cocked her head to the side, wonderingly. "I've always believed that she saw more of a man in my father than she ever glimpsed in you."

The Dojo went silent. Shredder hissed as he raised his hand in order to slap her.

Instinctively, Aislinn cowered to protect herself, remembering well the fell of those metal claws.

But the blow never came. Instead, Oroku laughed.

Aislinn looked up, berating herself for flinching.

The Dojo became noisy again at the sound of their master's laughter and those inside relaxed, continuing what they had been doing.

"Go," Said chuckled. "Go see your turtle. Just get out of my sight."

It took all of Aislinn's strength to keep herself from running out of the Dojo.

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Yasahiro unlocked the door and opened it.

Aislinn rushed into the small dark room. "Mikey?" she called.

A dark shape in the corner—which she thought had been just a shadow—shifted.

"Aislinn?" said a weak voice. She barely recognized Mikey as he sat up.

Aislinn rushed to his side and helped him up. He squinted at the light that came in from the door.

"Oh, Mikey," Aislinn gasped. One of his eyes was discolored and swollen. He had various cuts and bruises covering his body. In one spot on his shell, it had caved in slightly, crushed.

"I could say the same to you," Mikey said, reaching and touching her gashed cheek.

Aislinn looked sharply at Yasahiro. "Who did this?"

"Master Shredder ordered Nakita and Primiko to interrogate him."

"Why wasn't I told? He needs medical attention."

"Dude, it ain't that bad," Mikey said, "But my shell hurts like hell."

Aislinn helped him to his feet. "Lean on me," she said softly. She walked him slowly toward the door.

But the two ninjas and Yasahiro blocked her. "Where are you going with him?" Yasahiro asked.

"I'm taking him to my room. He needs to get those wounds cleaned and I intend to see that he isn't harmed again."

"I'm sorry, Miss Aislinn, but I can't allow it."

"Why not?"

"For one, you're getting a new room due to what you did to the window. Second, he's not to leave this room."

"I'm not leaving him here. If he can't come with me then I'm stayin' here."

"Miss Aislinn—"

"I've made my decision, Yasahiro. He comes with me or I stay."

Yasahiro looked at her with uncertainty. He didn't want to deny the girl because he liked her, but the Master had ordered that he not be removed. He sighed. "You'll have to talk to Master Shredder."

Aislinn looked at him, the hardness gone from her features. "You owe me, Yasahiro," she said softly.

Yasahiro looked away. He knew that. As young as she had been before Shredder had killed her parents, Aislinn had saved his life.

Aislinn's father had been ready to kill him for ratting him out to the Shredder. But Aislinn had begged her father not to kill Yasahiro. Her friend.

Aislinn's father had let Yasahiro go, but banned him from ever coming back.

Yasahiro swallowed, looking down at his feet. "I don't have the authority to let him go, Aislinn."

"Fine," she said. "I'm staying here, then. Sharon, I'll need a lamp and my first aid kit from my room."

Sharon looked at Yasahiro, uncertain.

"Well, go!" Yasahiro snapped.

Sharon hurried from the room.

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"You're lucky," Aislinn said softly as she bandaged another of Mikey's wounds. "It doesn't look as if you'll need stitches."

"Yeah, but is mummifyin' me really necessary?" Mikey asked.

Aislinn smiled and turned to another wound. "If you want them to heal, then yes it's necessary."

"Can't you just kiss them?" he asked.

"Excuse me?" Aislinn laughed, a bit nervously, and froze.

Mikey's face broke out into a wider grin. "I've heard that when a wound is kissed by someone you love, it makes them feel better."

Aislinn's smile faded slightly at the word 'love' and her heart skipped a beat.

Seeing her reaction, he blushed and looked away. "Sorry. I didn't mean—"

"No," Aislinn said, laying a hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her, a small light of surprise in his eyes. "Don't take it back," she whispered when they locked eye contact.

Aislinn broke the moment first, realizing she had been staring at him. She tied off a bandage on his arm and kissed it gently, smiling. "How's that?" she asked, teasingly.

Mikey began to answer, but the door burst open, almost flying off its hinges. Light flooded into the room, slightly blocked by a tall figure. Shredder.

"Brazen bitch!" he raged. Storming into the room, he grabbed a handful of her hair and dragged her toward the door.

Aislinn cried out in pain, clawing at his hands to get herself free.

"Dude, let'er go!" Mikey sailed over Aislinn and landed on Shredder's back, wrapping an arm around his enemy's neck and ripping the helmet off with his free hand, jerking Shredder's neck painfully.

Shredder let go of Aislinn as he struggled to get Mikey off his back.

"Mikey, no!" Aislinn cried. "He'll kill you!"

Mikey ignored her and slammed the helmet into Saki's head.

Oroku grunted and stumbled but reached for Mikey again. This time he grabbed the turtle by the back of the neck. He flipped Mikey over his shoulder and into a wall.

Mikey's head cracked against the wall and his body slumped to the floor.

"Mikey!" Aislinn screamed, rushing toward him.

Oroku stepped in her path and threw her the other way, out the door. Aislinn slammed into Yasahiro and he grabbed her to keep her from falling.

"Take her to her room," the Shredder ordered.

"No!" screamed Aislinn. "Let me go! Mikey! Mikey!"

She was dragged kicking and screaming down the corridor. She was then shoved into her knew room, several floors up from Mikey's room, and the door slammed behind her, bolting shut.

She threw herself at the door, pounding on the iron slab while screaming, "Let me out! I demand to see Mikey! Let me out of here or so help me!"

Her new room was bigger and seemed to have once been an office (her old room had been an overlarge storage closet in the old business building). All her things had been moved in, yet it still seemed empty.

This room was twice as large with a barred window facing outside and a huge window near the door that faced the hall. She wasn't sure what the window was made of. It was too thick to be plastic, but it defiantly wasn't glass. Yasahiro stared in at her through that window, a look of regret and pity on his face.

She pounded on the window. "Yasahiro! You owe me! Let me out!"

Yasahiro looked away from her.

Yelling in rage, she grabbed her mother's old rocking chair and hurled it at the window with all her might.

Yasahiro flinched as the rocker slammed into the window, bouncing off and clattering to the floor.

Aislinn continued to pound on the door and the window, alternating every few seconds, but still screaming that she wanted out.

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Hours later, Sharon came with Aislinn's dinner on a tray. Yasahiro unbolted the door and opened it for her.

Aislinn wasn't anywhere in sight.

Frowning, Sharon stepped inside. "Aislinn? Where—?"

A hand shot out of nowhere and slammed the tray up into Sharon's face.

During the confusion, Aislinn raced from the room and bolted down the hall. She had barely taken a few running steps, however, before Yasahiro grabbed her and literally threw her back into the room, slamming the door shut.

Aislinn lunged at the door, screaming like a mad woman as the bolt slid in place.

Sharon looked in the window, her angry face dripping from the hot soup that had been Aislinn's food. She glared at Aislinn, muttered the word 'bitch' then turned and left.

She didn't come back to feed Aislinn until late in the afternoon the next day.

When the door opened, Aislinn lunged for it.

But this time Sharon was ready.

A hand taser suddenly appeared in Sharon's hand. A thousand volts of electricity coursed through Aislinn's body, throwing her back to the floor.

"Turn that down," Yasahiro said as Sharon came back out. "We want to stud her, not kill her."

"Watch it, old man," Sharon said, waving the taser back and forth in front of his face. "Or I'll use it on you."

Yasahiro glared at Sharon's retreating back as he bolted the door. He would have to talk to Master Shredder about that one. She was becoming too arrogant for her own good.

Yasahiro looked through the window to check on Aislinn. She still lay on the floor, unconscious from the taser. He sighed with regret and returned to his post: guarding Aislinn's door.

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Aislinn only charged the door once more after that and she paid the consequences as before. For three days, when the door opened, she stood back and watched, patiently waiting for them to let their guard down. They never did.

As Friday grew nearer, Aislinn began to feel a sense of dread come over her. Had she done the right thing? Keeping her friends safe in exchanged for the destruction of the world? She liked to think she had.

Merode wouldn't have agreed. She knew the Shredder wanted Aislinn's strange amulet but she didn't know why. Aislinn had never told her of the amulet's power. That's why Merode would have no trouble giving Shredder the pendant. That's what it was to her. A large, ugly necklace worth a lot of money.

Then something struck Aislinn. Would Shredder use the amulet's power against her friends? Technically, he wouldn't be violating his vow. And Aislinn wouldn't be able to stop him, either. She had no power over the spirits.

Aislinn groaned and slid to her knees beside her bed. "Mother, what have I done?" she whispered, burying her face in her hands. It had all been for not. Her friends were as good as dead.

A strangled sob escaped her throat and she broke down, crying.

There was only one way to defeat the amulet. And it had to be done before the spirits were called.

She wiped her tears as the solemnity of what she had to do rolled around in her head.

She looked about her room. There wasn't anything she could use...

Then she thought of her bed sheets. It could work...

She stood and ripped the sheets off the bed. Her hands trembled as she rolled the sheets into a long strip. Could she do it? She shoved the question out of her mind. Of course she could. She had no choice.

She had to die.

She wrapped the sheet around her neck and took a deep, calming breath, reminding herself that it was the only way she could stop the spirits from destroying the world...

And killing her friends.

She pulled on the sheet and it tightened dangerously around her neck, cutting off her air.

First her face became red and turned darker and darker as she became dizzier and dizzier. Then her eyes began to bulge from the pressure and her vision blurred. Her body began to weaken and she felt the pressure decrease slightly. She pulled tighter, not wanting to give up.

The door banged open. "Aislinn, no!" shouted Yasahiro.

Aislinn fell back on the bed, her vision becoming black from lack of air and she began gasping for breath.

"Damn it! Somebody get help!" shouted Yasahiro.

Aislinn felt him unwrap the sheet from her neck, and then everything went dark.

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_Aislinn was in a large room. Everything was sheer white. She couldn't see the walls, it was too bright, but somehow she knew it was a room. She took a step forward, confused. Where was she?_

_Doors appeared in front of her. Double doors with iron vines that separated the windowpanes. She walked toward them and opened them wide. There was a flash of bright light and the sound of singing birds came to her ears. The light faded and she found herself in a beautiful garden. Millions of flowers surrounded her, some she knew, some she didn't. Aislinn found herself wandering the garden paths, admiring the different plants with so many colors that it made her dizzy._

_At that moment, a peacock stepped on the path in front of her. Aislinn froze, watching the divine creature. It stared right back at her as if examining her._

_Then, to Aislinn's surprise, the bird spoke her birth name. "Hello, Aiko," it said. Its voice was female and very familiar._

_Aislinn stepped toward the bird. "Mom?" she asked with utter shock._

_The peacock seemed to smile and closed her eyes, as if savoring that word._

_A purple, blue, and gray mist rose from the path and circled the bird, twisting and swirling around her. Aislinn took a step back, afraid the mysterious mist would swallow her as well. But it didn't. It grew taller, completely swallowing the peacock, then it began to fall much like a waterfall to first reveal a woman's face and then her body._

_Aislinn's mother opened her eyes and smiled genuinely at her, holding her arms open. Aislinn rushed into her mother's embrace, sobbing with joy._

_Amé held her daughter tight, smoothing out Aislinn's curly blonde hair, so much like her own. "Oh, my daughter. My baby, I've missed you so much." She pushed back a bit to survey Aislinn and cup her daughter's cheeks in her hands. "You've grown so much, Aiko!"_

_Laughing with tears coursing down her cheeks, Aislinn hugged Amé again. "You haven't changed at all, mom."_

_Amé beamed and kissed the top of Aislinn's head. "Come," she said, leading Aislinn toward a gazebo that Aislinn hadn't seen before. "We have much to talk about."_

_They sat in the gazebo and watched birds fly in and out of the trees, singing to their hearts' delight._

"_It's beautiful here," said Aislinn as they sat._

"_Yes," Amé sighed. She looked down lovingly at Aislinn. "This is the afterlife, my dear. Very few things are more beautiful."_

"_I'm dead, then," Aislinn said with frankness._

"_Oh, no, dear. You're alive, but just barely. You know, I don't approve of that suicide act," Amé said with disappointment._

"_But, mom, I had to! It was the only way I could defeat Oroku!"_

"_I know your heart was in the right place, dear, but you've forgotten the legend of our amulet."_

"_No, I haven't! If the Keeper dies before the spirits are released or before the amulet is returned to the kitsune and does not have an heir, the Keeper will appear with the spirits."_

"_Yes, but there's another part you've forgotten and one I never told you."_

"_What?"_

"_The Keeper cannot kill herself. It unbalances the amulet and bad things can happen."_

_Aislinn thought it over, then remembered. Her face turned white. "Oh, no." She put her face in her hands, feeling worse than before. "How could I have forgotten?"_

_Amé rubbed her daughter's back to comfort her. "It's alright, dear. You're not dead yet, so everything will be alright."_

_Aislinn sighed and sat back, suddenly very tired. After a moment of silence, she said, "What's the part you never told me?"_

_Amé smiled. "If the Keeper is not killed, then the former Keepers shall return with the spirits. And they shall be under their own control to decide which side is true of heart and to defeat the heart of greed."_

_Aislinn thought this over. She felt an immediate relief. Then, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"_

_Amé shrugged. "I wasn't told myself. Somewhere down the line of Keepers, the information wasn't given to the next Keeper. I only found out myself when I arrived here."_

_Aislinn looked around and leaned against her mother, sighing as if fatigued. Amé put an arm around her daughter's shoulder and hugged her. Aislinn laid her head on her mother's shoulder like she had when she had been younger. _

"_I don't want to go back," she whispered._

"_You must, Aiko. Your friends need you. Especially the one named Michaelangelo."_

"_Its no use, mom. Shredder refuses to let me see him."_

"_You'll think of something. You're like your father in that aspect. But Michaelangelo needs you badly. If he's not attended to soon, he shall be joining your father and I here in the afterlife."_

_Aislinn was silent. Then she said softly and out of the blue, "I love him."_

_Amé smiled. "I know. I've been watching you. His feelings for you are strong, also."_

"_You approve, then?"_

"_He is a nice boy. He has a good heart and I know he'll take good care of you."_

"_You don't care if he's a mutant turtle?"_

_Amé shrugged. "It might have bothered me when I was alive, but since being here..." She smiled and shook her head. "No, I don't mind. Just as long as you're happy and he treats you right."_

_Suddenly Amé looked up as if she saw something. Then she looked back down at Aislinn and smiled sadly. "It's time for you to go back, darling."_

_Aislinn shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. "No. I want to stay with you."_

"_You can't, honey. You have to go back. Michaelangelo needs you."_

"_But—"_

"_Shh, my daughter." Amé kissed the top of Aislinn's head. "I love you. Don't ever forget that." Amé stood as the mist began to close in again. "Good bye, Aiko, dear. I'll be waiting for you here when your time comes."_

"_Mom, don't go! I can't do this on my own!"_

_The mist covered Amé as she said, "Of course you can, Aiko. You come from a long line of strong Keepers. I know you can."_

_The peacock appeared and flew over Aislinn's head, it's tail almost brushing her._

_A tail feather fell and landed at Aislinn's feet. When Aislinn picked it up, the colors began to fade around her._

_There was a sudden flash of light and Aislinn woke back in her room, gasping for breath._

"Aislinn! Thank The ancestors!" Yasahiro breathed as Aislinn came to life, coughing. "I thought you were gone for sure. What possessed you to do something like that?"

"Get me...Shredder..."Aislinn said, still wheezing for breath.

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"What is it this time?" Shredder asked as he stepped into the room.

"Aislinn stood and approached him. "I want Mikey brought to my room."

Oroku groaned in frustration. "That, again? What is it with this turtle? Don't tell me you're in love with him." When Aislinn didn't answer, he chuckled. "I don't believe this. My niece is in love with a mutant turtle."

"Half-niece, Oroku. And if it were up to me, not even that. I want Mikey brought to my room so I can attend to him before we leave Friday."

"No." He turned to leave.

"You heard of my escapade this morning, didn't you?"

Shredder stopped. "Yes. Luckily, Yasahiro was able to stop you."

"Lucky for you, maybe. If Mikey isn't brought to my room by tonight. I'll do it again. And this time Yasahiro won't be able to stop me," she threatened. It was a lie, but he didn't know that.

"How can you be so sure?" Shredder asked.

"Anyone can do anything if they put their minds to it."

He stepped toward her until they were face to face with each other. He glared down at her. "How about we make a deal, _half_-niece? If I allow the turtle to be attended by you, then you stay when the amulet is given to me."

Aislinn's eyes widened. "Absolutely not!"

"Then forget the turtle." He turned to leave.

"Wait," Aislinn winced at the desperate note in her voice. He had turned the tables on her and she didn't like it one bit. When Shredder turned back slightly, a victorious smile on his lips, she asked, "Why do you want me to stay?"

"How do I know that as soon as I let you go, you won't just kill yourself? Besides, I've been doing some tests lately and I could use a guinea pig." He smiled injuriously.

Aislinn's first thought was to scream no. But then her mother's voice reminded her, _"...he'll be joining your father and I here in the afterlife."_

Her face pale as a sheet, she choked out, "Deal."

"Good," Shredder said. He turned and left. As he passed Yasahiro, he said, "Deliver the demon to her room before tonight."

"Yes, Lord Shredder."

As soon as the door closed, Aislinn fell to the floor, sobbing.

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At six o'clock that night, Aislinn's door opened and Mikey was carried into theroom. He was unconcious and covered in green ooze.

Aislinn's stomach lurched. Oh, ancestors, no!

"You goddamn bastards!" she swore at the two men covered in protective gear.

They ignored her and lay Mikey on her floor then turned and left.

Aislinn rushed to his side, but didn't dare touch him. She walked to, ancestors, how she wanted to! Assure him he was going to be okay. But her fear of the green ooze stopped her.

"Oh, Mikey," she whispered. "I'm so sorry." She turned her head toward the door. "Yasahiro!"

The door unlocked and opened. Yasahiro stepped in. "Yes, Miss Aislinn?"

"Get me some water. Lots of it. I've gotta wash him up."

When Yasahiro hesitated, she shouted, "Well, get going!"

Yasahiro hurried from the room and returned a few minutes later with a five gallon bucket of water.

"Thank you," Aislinn said as he set the bucket down.

Yasahiro looked at her, surprised. He nodded quickly and left.

Aislinn picked up the bucket and began to pour it slowly over Mikey's body, washing the ooze away. She was seriously staining her carpet, but she didn't care.

Mikey didn't move or wake when the water poured over him. Not even when the water washed the ooze from his face.

Aislinn winced as his wounds reopened and began to bleed. She set the bucket down and got her first aid from the closet.

She sat next to him and dried him with the towel she used to take showers every night. Once he was dry, she began wrapping his wounds to staunch the bleeding.

She began to panic a bit when she couldn't stop the blood from flowing from one gash. It was one of two on his shoulder, identical to the gashes on her cheek.

She felt an utter hatred for her father's half-brother. What gave him the right to torture people so? she thought as she pressed a cloth to the gash.

Finally, the bleeding began to slow and she started to stitch the wound closed. When she was finished, she bit the thread off and studied her work. A bit crude, but it would do.

Putting the first aid aside, she stood and took a hold of Mikey under the arms. She dragged him over to the bed and shoved him up on the mattress, laying hiim on his stomache. It was no easy task and she was breathless when she was done. "You need...to cut down...on pizza," she panted as she wiped an arm over her sweat-beaded forehead.

She examined his shell where it had caved in. It bothered her. Something like that couldn't be repaired and would constantly pain him for the rest of his life.

That is, if he still had a shell after the ooze took effect. She had no idea what it might turn him into.

Sighing softly, she went to the door and knocked. It opened and Yasahiro peered in. "Yes, Miss Aislinn?"

"I need some herbs. I have a few in my old room under the floorboards. Just bring me the basket. I'll need some from the store, though. I don't trust anyone but _Julia's Herbal Remedies_ downtown. And I'll know if you go somewhere else. I'll need Wakame, Nori, and Kombu. I'm also out of Plantain leaf and Arnica, if I remember right. Could you do that for me?"

"Of course, Miss Aislinn."

"Could you also send someone up here with a mop and some towels? It's a mess in here."

"Of course, Miss Aislinn."

**AN: This is going to be the last chapter that I'll be able to put up for a while yet. It's all I have on the computer, the rest of the story has to be typed up yet and that's going to take a while since I'm back in school.**

**Please review, though and tell me what you all think:D**


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, ****Amé,**** and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time.**

**Chapter 7**

The door closed and Aislinn looked back to Mikey. She felt something stir within her chest and she smiled as she remembered the words she had blurted out to her mother. She loved him.

Was it true? She asked herself. Or had she just been worried? Was love the same as pity? She shook her head. No, far from it, she knew. But how did he feel? He had said he loved her the other day. But had he just been joking?

She sighed and grabbed the mop she had used to clean the ceiling the day before, and began soaking up the mess on the carpet. She wrung the mop out in the bucket at regular intervals until the carpet was moderately dry. She would have to ask Yasahiro for more towels to soak up the rest. She wiped her forehead with her arm and bent to wring out the last of the water from the mop.

"Ooo," said Mikey's voice from behind her as she felt a hand squeeze her behind. "Soft."

Aislinn shrieked and turned, swinging the mop.

"Oof!" The mop hit him square in the face with a wet _splat_!

"Mikey!" she scolded. "Don't scare me like that!"

Mikey rubbed his beak where the mop had hit him. "Dude, what is it with you and hittin me in the face with cleanin' supplies?" He acted as if to get up, but Aislinn dropped the mop and pushed him back down.

"No," she said. "You're going to need your rest."

He smiled slyly, leaning back against the pillow. "Why? What do you have planned?"

"Nothing," she said seriously, ignoring his suggestive tone. "Mikey--" she was cut off as the door opened and Yasahiro stepped in with her herbal basket.

Aislinn stood and took the basket from him, saying, "Thank you, Yasahiro. Did you get the herbs I asked for?"

"Yes, Miss Aislinn. I've placed them in the basket for you."

"Thank you. And could you get me a few more towels, please?"

"Of course, Miss Aislinn." He bowed and left, locking the door behind him.

"Wow," said Mikey as Aislinn sat and began sorting through her herbs. "What was that?"

"What was what?" she asked, not looking up.

"The 'Yes, Miss Aislinn' an 'Of course, Miss Aislinn'. You got somethin' on the guy or what?"

"No. He's just being polite. Believe me, I've tried to get him to stop, but he doesn't listen."

"Aislinn's got an admirer," Mikey teased, "Aislinn's got an admirer."

"I do not," Aislinn said, mixing some of her crushed herbs. "He's old enough to be my father and it's disgusting of you to think otherwise." She went to her sink and added some water to her mixture, stirring with her finger.

"What are you doing?" Mikey asked.

"Making a salve for that wound on your shell."

"Is it safe?" he asked, eyeing the concoction with distrust.

"No, Mikey, it's going to poison you and kill you slowly," she said sarcastically. "Of course it's safe! I wouldn't give it to you otherwise."

"I ain't too sure of that. I mean, you never did forgive me for the shower incident."

She looked up at him, still stirring the salve. "Mikey, I forgive you." She looked back at her salve and shrugged. "Like you said: It was bound to happen living under the same roof."

"Street, you mean," he said smirking.

Aislinn smiled and kneeled next to the bed. "Is it supposed to be cold?" he asked as she spread the salve over the wound.

"Yes. And it's a good sign, too. It means the nerves weren't too badly damaged." As she finished, she asked, "Do you remember who did this?"

"How could I forget? It was Shred-head. Metal bat one of the ninjas handed him. He's a real bad aim, though, cause he was going for my head."

Aislinn winced. "You're lucky." She put the bowl aside. "I need to put a bandage on that so you gotta sit up."

She helped him up and he winced as he finally settled. "Dude, that hurts. I feel like my tail has been pulled out of its socket."

"Sorry," she said sympathetically as she dug out her gauze. "I don't have anything for dislocated bones and I ain't pushing it back in, either."

"Why not?"

"Because a diet of strictly pizza tends to give some people gas and I'm not willing to find out if you're one of them."

He laughed then both were silent as she wrapped a long strip of gauze around him to cover the wound. As she tied it, he asked, "Why did he hit you?"

She gave a sad smile. "Just goes to show you that you should never make Saki angry."

He grinned. "What did ya do?"

She tied off the bandage and sat back on her haunches to grin back. "He wanted something and I wouldn't give it to him."

"What was that?"

She explained to him about the amulet and its legend as she pushed him back down on the bed and cleaned up after herself.

"If it's so powerful, why are you giving it to him?" Mikey asked when she finished.

She was now seated on the edge of the bed, her hands folded in her lap. She looked down at them, suddenly shy. "He threatened to kill you and the others if I didn't."

"Don't give it to him! The others will fight!"

I can't take the chance."

"But--"

"It's settled, Mikey. We go tomorrow to pick it up. So get some sleep."

For once, Mikey didn't argue, but Aislinn could tell he wasn't happy about it as she rose and turned off the lights.

She curled up n the floor and tried to make herself comfortable. After a while she heard Mikey's breathing even out, but sleep wouldn't visit her. She was too worried about the next day. What would her friends do when they realized she wouldn't be going home with them? What would Mikey do? She turned on her side so as not to see his sleeping form

A 'guinea pig' Shedder had said she would be. For what exactly? Would she be subject to the ooze again as Mikey had? Or did Sake have something else in mind?

She was startled out of her thoughts by a gut-wrenching scream.

"Mikey?" Aislinn asked as she bolted to her feet.

The turtle was holding his stomach and rolling back and forth, screaming.

Aislinn turned on the light and rushed to Mikey's side. What she saw almost made her scream also. The ooze was taking effect.

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When it was finally over hours later, both sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. Aislinn's arms were wrapped around Mikey's newly clothed form, holding him through his misery. Yasahiro had thrown used jeans and a t-shirt into the room without looking at them earlier that night.

"Why?" Mikey asked suddenly, his voice choking in the silence.

Aislinn sighed. "Because Saki's an asshole."

They were silent. Then Mikey gave a half-hearted chuckle. "My brothers ain't gonna recognize me."

Aislinn brushed his now shoulder length blonde hair out of his eyes. "Maybe not, but they'll love you just the same."

Mikey shook his head and looked down at his hands. So familiar to anyone but himself. Why have five fingers when three were sufficient?

"My brothers and I," Mikey said, "Have been searching for years for a cure. Anything that would make us…well, normal. We wouldn't have to hide in the sewers or wear those stupid trench coats anymore." He studied his hands with intensity as if they held some kind of secret. He sighed. "And now I've found it. But they can't have it." He gazed up at Aislinn. "They'll hate me."

"Shush, Mikey," Aislinn said, hugging him. "They won't hate you. "They're your brothers and they'll love you forever."

"How can you be so sure?"

Aislinn hesitated before saying, "Because I feel the same. I know they'll love you forever because I will too. And if they don't, I still will."

Mikey had sat up during her small speech and stared at her with wide eyes. "You mean that, Aislinn/ You love me?"

Aislinn smiled. "Of course I do, you big goof! I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

Laughing, Mikey kissed her. As Aislinn responded, Mikey couldn't help but think: There are some advantages to having lips…and clothing.


	9. Chapter 8

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, ****Amé,**** and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults. Iie means no, hai means yes, kuso means bastard, bakka means stupid.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time.**

Chapter 8

That morning the two were forced into a black limo--which surprised Aislinn. She hadn't known Shredder owned a limo, much less used one. It was bound to draw attention.

They rode with eight of Shredder's elite. About fifty more ninjas followed in two vans.

Yasahiro frowned disapprovingly as Aislinn reached over and took Mikey's tied hands in her own free ones. She smile reassuringly as they arrived at the old apartment building. "Everything will be alright," she said to him.

Once the cars were parked, Mikey and Aislinn were pulled out of the limo and forced toward the building. The ninjas quickly made themselves scarce, searching the apartments.

"What are we doing here?" Mikey asked as they waited outside the steps.

"Merode's bringing the amulet." When Mikey began to protest, Aislinn added, "If she doesn't, we'll be killed…or worse."

Mikey fell silent.

It was nightfall before Merode showed herself. Aislinn rose from the steps where she was sitting and Mikey did the same.

Aislinn swore as she descended the steps. "I told you to come alone, Vixen."

Vixen shrugged as she stopped in front of Aislinn. The others were gathered behind her.

"I don't trust these bastards." She eyed Aislinn's cheek. "And it looks like I was in the right."

A commotion behind Aislinn made her turn. Yasahiro had grabbed Mikey's arm to keep him from joining Aislinn. Mikey was protesting.

"Yasahiro," Aislinn said sternly. "Leave him be."

Frowning, Yasahiro let go of Mikey. When Mikey took a step forward, Aislinn held up her hand. "Iie, stay put, love."

Unhappily, Mikey obeyed.

Aislinn turned back to Merode who had cocked an eyebrow. "I see you haven't lost your status here."

Aislinn shrugged as if it didn't matter. "Do you have the amulet?"

Merode nodded and reached into her jacket. Sixty ninjas tensed behind Aislinn, but Merode pulled out a box. It was elaborately carved with Japanese writing, telling of the amulet's legend. The corners were lined with pure gold. The lock was a gold kitsune.

Taking the box reverently into her hands, she whispered the ancient words only she as the past keepers knew. Unclasping the kitsune and opening the lid, a bright white light made everyone cry out and cover their eyes. When it had faded, Aislinn peered inside at the amulet. It was about half the size of her palm and, like the box, made of gold. Engraved on one side was the symbol 'Ai', love. On the other side she knew was the vow the kitsune had made to her lover.

Aislinn nodded and closed the lid, locking the kitsune with another incantation. "Thank you, Merode."

Merode nodded.

Aislinn turned and said, "Yasahiro."

Yasahiro stepped forward, pushing Mikey in front of him. She handed the box to Yasahiro. "Make sure Shredder gets this."

"Hai, Miss Aislinn." He took the box, which was the size of his hand, and it disappeared into a hidden pocket. He then shoved Mikey toward the group. "Get going, freak," he muttered in Japanese.

Rafael, standing to the right and behind Merode, caught Mikey. "The hell is this?" he asked. "And where's Mikey?"

"That is Mikey, Raf," Aislinn said as Mikey righted himself. He wasn't used to balancing without the weight of his shell.

"The hell it is! Ya think I'd recognize my own brother!"

"Dude," Mikey said, "Calm it down, Raf. It's me. She's tellin' the truth."

Exclamations broke out in the group of friends. All along the lines of: "What did they do to you?"

Aislinn turned to the ninjas. In Japanese, so all could understand her, she said, "They _will_ be allowed to leave unharmed. Do I make myself clear?"

Mutters of agreement reached her ears.

"Good. Let's go, then."

"Wait a minute," Merode said, understanding Japanese. "I thought you were coming with us?"

"I can't, Merode. The deal was the amulet for all of your protection and Mikey's freedom for my own."

"No way!" Mikey protested. "Aislinn, I won't let you do this!" The others voiced their agreement.

"I have very little choice."

"Course you do," Raf said, pulling out his sais. The others followed suit.

"Iie," Aislinn said sternly. "I don't. You are outnumbered ten to one. Will my efforts to keep you all alive go to hell? Put your weapons away. I've survived Shredder before, and I'll do it again." She turned, trusting Jessica's and Leonardo's common sense as leaders.

"Aislinn!" Mikey cried.

Aislinn turned in time to see him break free from Rafael and rush toward her.

Her heart bursting painfully, she opened her arms. He hugged her to him, pressing her head to his chest. "Don't do this, Aislinn. I love you."

She raised her head and he kissed her full on the mouth. "Don't leave me," he said.

"I'm sorry, Mikey," she said tearfully. "I don't have a choice."

A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her away. Yasahiro shoved Mikey back to the group with his other hand then dragged Aislinn toward the limo.

"Aislinn! Aislinn, no, don't do this!" Raf grabbed Mikey to keep him from running after her.

"I'll be alright, Mikey!" she shouted as Yasahiro literally shoved her into the limo.

She turned in her seat as they drove away so she could see them. Mikey was fighting to get free from Raf. As the limo turned the corner, he fell to his knees. Aislinn heard him scream in rage and sorrow. It tore at her heart.

"It is better this way, Miss Aislinn," Yasahiro said as she straightened in her seat. "They are a bad influence on you."

Aislinn glared at the man who had once been her friend. "I don't see how Shredder is any better. Those people have only killed in self-defense. Can you say the same for Shredder?" She sneered at him, her anger overriding her reason. "Or for yourself, for that matter? After all, my parents would still be here if it weren't for you."

Surprising both himself and Aislinn, Yasahiro backhanded her so hard she fell against the door. Stilling his shaking hands, he said, "Your parents disobeyed Lord Saki. They got what they deserved." That said, he moved to the front of the limo to speak with the driver.

Aislinn fought tears and sat in stony silence, staring out the window.

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"We can't just leave her there!" Mikey said. "Something's gotta be done! I mean, look what he did to me! What's gonna keep him from doing the same to her?"

"We can't just go rushing in," Jessica said.

"She's right," Leonardo said. "We need a plan."

"We know where they are and where the doors are," said Raf. "What more do we need?"

"Finally someone agrees with me!" Mikey said.

"I want to get her out of there just as much as you do, Mikey," said Merode. "She's like a sister to me. But they have guards and passwords." She had followed the 'parade' back to their headquarters without the Foot knowing in order to scout. "Without some kind of plan, we'll never get through the doors. And if the alarm is sounded, Aislinn could be harmed."

Frustrated, Mikey began to pace. He kicked a pizza box out of his way as the others continued to argue. Fleeting, an idea formed and he grasped it tight as he picked up the pizza box. "Guys!" he shouted over the din. "I've got an idea!"

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Hiroshi was on guard that night. He grumbled as he glanced at the screens. Nothing. There never was. He looked back at his own portable TV and leaned back. His shift didn't end for another hour. Watching 'Jeopardy', Hiroshi couldn't help but think of how stupid Americans were. His four-year-old sister could answer these questions.

A knock startled him and he looked up at the screen. A teenage boy in a baseball cap stood there holding a pizza box.

Hiroshi pressed the intercom. "State your business."

"Uh…I've got a pizza here for some chick named Aislinn."

Hiroshi frowned. "I wasn't aware she ordered some."

"Well, she did, an did and I expect to be paid for it, dude."

Hiroshi sighed. Big people never thought how they inconvenienced the little guys. He rose and went to the door. Unlocking and opening it, he said, "Give it here."

"Sure thing, dude."

The next thing Hiroshi knew, a pizza box slammed into his face with enough force to knock him to the ground. Then a fox-woman sprang past the 'pizza-boy' and knelt next to him, pressing a sai to his throat.

The fox grinned, showing tiny, sharp teeth. "You're going to tell me where Aislinn is, aren't you?"

When Hiroshi hesitated, she pressed down on the sai, drawing blood. In Japanese, she said, "Aren't you, kuso?"

"Hai!" Hiroshi whispered. "Hai, my lady Kitsune!"

Merode laughed.

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They found the room easily and met no one until they reached their destination. Merode stuck her head around the corner. There were two guards. One was the man Aislinn had called Yasahiro, the other she didn't know.

As she thought this, Yasahiro glanced her way and saw her. She began to rise, lest he shout the alarm, but then he did a strange thing: he moved his hand in a gesture to wait.

"Kenji," Yasahiro said. "I'm thirsty. Go get us something to drink."

"Hai," Kenji said and hurried off in the opposite direction.

"And don't run! Take your time."

When Kenji was out of sight, Yasahiro motioned them forward.

"You need to get her out of here, quickly," he said as he unlocked the door.

"Why are you helping us?" Raph asked.

"She saved my life," Yasahiro said as he threw open the door. "Besides, Shredder's being inhumane of late."

Mikey rushed into the dark room. "Aislinn?"

"Mikey?" a weak voice asked from a shadowed corner. "Mikey! I told you not to come after me!"

He took a step toward her, but she stopped him. "Iie, Mikey! Stay back! Yasahiro, get him outta here!"

"Aislinn, don't be ridiculous," he said rushing to her. "We've gotta…Oh my god."

"I told you," Aislinn sobbed.

"What? What's wrong?" Merode asked, flipping on the light.

Kimi made a soundless gasp and her hands flew to her mouth in alarm.

The ooze had claimed another victim.

Aislinn stood so they could see her better. She looked like a half-human, half-horse. From her waist down she looked like a pie-bald pinto. She had knees like a human but at the shin it was like they changed their minds and decided to be the bag legs of a horse right down to the hooves.

Her jeans were shredded and hid very little, but her sweatshirt was still intact, covering her. She still wore her glove.

"I refused to open the box," she said softly as if in explanation. A tear trailed down her cheek. "He…he said it was a shame he didn't know a cure because I was hideous." She sobbed and looked to Mikey. "How are we going to get back to normal?"

Mikey took her into his arms and hugged her tight as she sobbed into his shirt. "Shh. It'll be alright. We'll find a way."

"Time to go," Yasahiro said. "Kenji's coming."

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"Hiroshi," Lee said as he approached the entrance. "Time's up." He entered the control room and stopped in his tracks. Hiroshi was tied to his chair with a gag over his mouth. He made frantic noises as Lee walked in. "Holy shit, Hiroshi! What the hell happened?" he asked as he pulled the gag off.

"Intruders!" shouted Hiroshi. "The turtles are here!"

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They were halfway back to the entrance when the alarm went off. Lights flashed and sirens sounded. A voice came over the intercom. "Turtles in the building. Don't let any of them or those with them escape! Lord Saki wants them alive! I repeat…"

"Ah, shit," said Raph.

"Come on!" said Aislinn. "I know another way out."

They turned, but a group of ninjas turned the corner they had just passed and spotted them.

"Other way!" Mikey said. They turned back only to find themselves boxed in.

"Shit," Raph repeated.

"You guys shouldn't have come for me," Aislinn said.

"Iie, they shouldn't have," said Shredder's laughing voice. The ninjas cleared a path for him. "But no one can change the past, though sometimes even I wish I could." He studied Aislinn and smiled. "Hai, I would've done things differently. I should've killed you when I had the chance, little niece."

The turtles, Jessica and Kimi looked confused.

Aislinn glared at Shredder.

"What's this? You never told them of our relationship, Horoku Aiko? Oh, hai, that's right! You go by Aislinn now, don't you?"

"You are of no relation to me, Saki. My father disowned you as was his right as the elder brother."

Shredder laughed. "Maybe, little Aiko, but now he's with the ancestors, therefore I am the eldest and only child. Kenji!"

"Hai, Lord Saki?"

"Bring the traitor."

"Bring the traitor!" Kenji said. Two ninjas dragged forth a very beaten Yasahiro.

"Yasahiro!" Aislinn cried, rushing forward as they dumped him on the ground.

"Take them back to the girl's room and lock them up," Saki said.

"Hai, my lord."

Shredder smiled at Aislinn and the others. "See you in the morning."

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"Is it true?" Mikey asked as the door closed.

Aislinn busied herself in her first aid from where she knelt next to Yasahiro's prone body.

"Aislinn?" Jessica asked. "He's lying isn't he?"

Aislinn gave a sigh that seemed to deflate her and she stilled. "Before I say anything," she said softly without looking up. "I want you all to remember the saying, 'you can't choose your family'."

"You lying bitch!" shouted Raph.

"Rafael!" Merode scolded.

"We opened our home to her, Merode! And she's a fucking spy!"

"Iie! I am not!" Aislinn surged to her feet. "I don't like Shredder any more than you do!"

Kimi signed with hard features, "You are related to the man who made me watch my parents die."

"Hai, Kimi, I am. But I don't work for him. I can't help it that my father was Saki's half-brother."

"That's why everyone here is so polite to you," Mikey said. "You could be their next boss."

"Mikey," she said, reaching a hand out to him. He lurched away as if burned.

Tears blurred her eyes. "I don't believe this. You're all turning on me because my father and Saki had the same father."

Everyone was silent.

She looked at Mikey. "Come on, Mikey. Are you going to let a few words Saki said come between us You said you loved me."

"I…I do, but…Shredder's tried to kill us so many times. And when you had the chance to leave, you stayed--"

"To save you!"

"How do we know he didn't tell you to get close to us?"

"Mikey! I _love_ you. I can't fake that. I…" she dissolved into tears. "How can I get you guys to believe me?" You've got to understand, I hate him with all I have! He killed my parents. How could I work for a man like that?"

"Come on, guys," Merode said, putting an arm around Aislinn's shoulders. "This is Aislinn. Our little clumsy friend. She's hardly a spy or assassin. What kind of spy would drop a candle on her foot and howl like a banchee? What kind of assassin would reduce herself to tears? If she's working for Shredder, she's doing a lousy job. I mean, she can't even punch! And aren't Shredder's people supposed to be trained killers?"

"Maybe," Raph said, "But if it weren't for her, we wouldn't be here."

"I told you not to come after me! Then again, you've got a point. If I hadn't give Shredder the amulet, you'd all be dead!"

Everyone was silent. Merode moved over to Raph and glared at him. He lowered his gaze.

Aislinn looked at Mikey. Anger and hurt shone in her eyes. "And you, Mikey. How _dare_ you accuse me of betrayal? I took your place! Yes, you got dipped in ooze but if you had stayed, you would've gotten more injections into your bloodstream to see if it would take the same effect!"

Mikey looked down at his feet.

Yasahiro chuckled where he lay on the floor. "She has simplified the truth." He groaned, grabbing his side.

"Yasahiro," Aislinn said, kneeling next to him. "You shouldn't speak. It'll make things worse."

He shook his head. "Iie. They must understand." He looked at the others. "Aislinn gave up a powerful family heirloom to keep you safe. She ruined a friendship with a woman she'd grown up with to get to Mikey when he cracked his head on the wall. For some reason, Shredder values her life so when he refused to let her tend to Mikey, she threatened to kill herself. If that wasn't enough, she agreed to be his guinea pig so Mikey could have his freedom." He looked at Aislinn and smiled, gripping her hand. "She's also saved my life and been the friend I never deserved."

"You over exagerate, Yasahiro. Hush now and save your strength."

As she looked over him to see if anything was broken, the others exchanged glances. Aislinn studied them out of the corner of her eye as she stitched a deep cut above Yasahiro's cheekbone.

They seem to have accepted it. All but Raph--who never trusted anyone--and Mikey. The last hurt the worst. She felt tears sting her eyes, but she blinked them away and bent her head over the wound.

"Aislinn," Yasahiro said.

"Shh. Don't move or I'll end up sticking you."

"He has no reason not to love you," he whispered in Japanese.

She switched to Japanese as well. "I am the niece of his mortal enemy. He has every right."

"It doesn't work that way."

Aislinn was silent.

"Your mother and father should be proud of you."

She snorted. "For giving up the amulet?"

"For giving it up for a good reason."

Aislinn shook her head. "I failed my ancestors." She looked up at her friends who, even though they couldn't understand them--save Merode--avoided her gaze. "I was weak. I love them all." She gazed at Mikey who looked away then back again and locked gazes with her. "Especially him." She looked back down and cut the thread. "Maybe that's my problem. Saki has no weakness and loves no one. He has no weakness because he doesn't love."

"Iie. Shredder's weakness is that he doesn't love. He doesn't know how. That is what makes him weak and you strong, Aiko-san."

Aislinn looked at him, surprised. He'd never called her by her birth name.

He nodded. "Hai, I call you Aiko-san. Because Aiko means 'little loved one' and you are loved. I envy Horoku Minoru because he is your father."

Aislinn smiled. "If it were anyone else flattering me so, Yasahiro, I'd ask what they wanted."

Yasahiro laughed but was cut short by the pain in his side.

"I think you might have broken a rib," said a voice. Aislinn looked up and found herself face to face with Mikey.

"Or two," Yasahiro said. He sighed. "Boy, lean over here."

"Why?" Mikey asked, suspiciously.

"Just do it. I'm in no condition to hurt you."

Mikey did so and Yasahiro whispered in his ear. Mikey nodded. "I know."

"Good. Then do it." He whispered something else and Mikey looked him up and down with a cocked eyebrow.

"I lied."

Mikey rolled his eyes but got to his feet. He held his hand out to Aislinn. "We need to talk."

Aislinn hesitated, but took his hand. He helped her to her feet and led her to a corner.

"Mikey," Aislinn said quickly. "Whatever Yasahiro said, he's wrong. You have every right to hate me and--"

"No, Aislinn. Yasahiro's right. I don't have a right to hate you. Like you said, 'you can't choose your family'. I just don't understand why you didn't tell me sooner." He took her hands as she looked down at them.

"I was afraid you'd hate me. For a while there, I thought you did."

"No, no, Aislinn." He took her face in his hands. I could _never_ hate you. I love you too much."

Tears of relief spilled down her cheeks and over his hands.

"Hush, love," he said, wiping her tears with his thumbs and kissing her gently. "Hush, now. Don't cry."

Aislinn smiled. "I can't help it," she said trying to wipe them away. "I'm just so relieved."

Chuckling, Mikey hugged her tight, kissing the top of her head.

Aislinn sighed. "I'm so glad you don't hate me. I could stand it if the others did, but you…" she shook her head.

"Hush. I don't hate you." He pulled her far enough away so he could kiss her lips.

"All right, you two," said Jessica, laughing. "Enough making up."

Kimi smiled and sighed, "You mean making _out_."

Aislinn and Mikey laughed and joined the others.

"Aislinn," said Donetello. "Tell us of this amulet's powers and weaknesses. Maybe there's a way to destroy it."

Aislinn shook her head. "There's only one way and it's near impossible."

"Tell us anyway," said Leonardo.

"Yes, it'll pass the time," said Jessica.

So Aislinn told them everything she knew of the amulet.


	10. Chapter 9

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, ****Amé,**** and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults. Iie means no, hai means yes, kuso means bastard, bakka means stupid.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time.**

Chapter 9

Early the next morning, they were woke by the door opening. Kenji stepped in,, a huge grin on his face. "Wakey, wakey!"

Groaning and grumbling, they rose.

Kenji walked over to where Yasahiro still lay on the floor. "Hey, old man, Get up."

Yasahiro stirred and tried to rise, but couldn't.

"I said get up!" Kenji shouted, delivering a kick to Yasahiro's side.

Grunting, Yasahiro fell to the floor.

Get away from him, Kenji!" Aislinn shouted and rushed over, shoving Kenji away. "Keep your hands and feet off him!" She knelt beside her friend. "Yasahiro? Are you alright?"

"Yes," panted Yasahiro, holding his side.

"Little Miss Whore," Kenji sneered. "Why don't you get off that high horse of yours?"

"Why you son-of-a-bitch!" Mikey said as Merode growled. Jessica and Kimi stepped toward Kenji at the same time Mikey and Merode did.

"Iie!" Aislinn said as Kenji unsheathed the sword at his side. "Guys, don't." She turned to Kenji, still on her knees and glared at him. "Kenji. Unless you have business with us, I suggest you leave." She turned back to Yasahiro.

"Suggest this, bitch," he said and his foot connected with her cheek.

Mikey charged Kenji with the others behind him. All but Kimi, who knelt to see if Aislinn was okay.

By the time Kenji's shouts brought help, Mikey had Kenji by the throat against the wall. His sword was in Jessica's hand.

"Take it back, asshole!" Mikey said.

Ninjas rushed into the room, two for each prisoner.

"Get off her!" Leonardo said as two ninjas grabbed Jessica and ripped the sword out of her hands. He was grabbed by two more ninjas.

"Get off me!" shouted Merode as two grabbed her. She kicked at them, but they jerked her off balance and bore her to the floor where they pinned her.

Ralph was in no better a position. Two men had him pinned to the wall next to Mikey, who was held similarly.

Not resisting, Donatello's hands were held behind his back as was Kimi's once she was brought to her feet.

"Aislinn-san?" asked a ninja as he helped her up. "Are you okay?"

"Hiroshi?" Aislinn asked, holding her pounding cheek. The ninja nodded. "Hai, Hiroshi, I'm fine. Arigato."

Another ninja was helping Yasahiro to his feet.

"Don't bother with him," Kenji said, straightening his clothes and walking over to Yasahiro. He had his sword once again and held it to Yasahiro's throat. "He's nothing but a traitor. He deserves a traitor's death."

"No!" screamed Aislinn as Kenji pulled the sword back to make a sweep. Hiroshi grabbed Aislinn to keep her out of the way.

"You've done enough, Kenji," came Shredder's voice.

Kenji turned to find Saki standing in the doorway. He sheathed his sword. "Hai, my lord."

"Bring them. It is time."

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They were brought to a large room Aislinn had never been in before. It was tiled from ceiling to floor and had two large windows.

"Separate them," Shredder said without turning as he walked toward a small round table in the middle of the room. The amulet's box sat on top for all to see. The boys were put on one side of the room and the girls on the other.

"Aiko-chan," Shredder said sweetly as he turned toward them with a swirl of his cape. "Come here."

When Aislinn hesitated, Kenji shoved her and she stumbled forward. Sending a glare back to him, Aislinn walked toward her uncle. Kenji followed and stood just behind her.

She sneered at Saki. "What's the matter, _uncle_?" she asked in an innocent voice. "Can't get the child's jewelry box open?"

"You will kneel before your elder and lord and speak to him with respect!" said Kenji as he kicked Aislinn's knees so she fell forward.

"Fuck you, ass-kisser," Aislinn sneered.

Kenji reached for his sword, but Saki said, "Enough." Kenji backed down. "Hai, lord Saki."

"Aiko," Saki said. "Open the box."

Aislinn spit on Saki's foot. "No."

Kenji kicked Aislinn in the back, making her cry out in pain. "You dare to--"

"Kenji!" shouted Shredder. "I said enough. Take your place by Hiroshi."

"H…hai, my lord. Forgive me, my lord."

Shredder nodded to a ninja who pulled a lever on the wall. Two large tiles slid forward in front of the line of boys and the line of girls.

"At the bottom of those pits," said Saki. "Are a hundred spikes. One would be impaled if one fell."

"All right! I get it!" Aislinn stood and picked up the box. She said the incantation and unclasped the kitsune. A bright light blinded everyone in the room. Aislinn set the box back down. The holes were closed.

Shredder smiled as he lifted the amulet from the box. "Finally, after all these years! It is mine!"

Aislinn stepped backward almost in fear.

"Great Warriors of the Ancestors! Listen to my cry! Come to me!" The windows flew open and a foreboding and shrill scream filled the air. Ears were covered lest they go deaf and the glass in the windows shattered.

A whispy smoke began to emit from the amulet and grew larger and larger, reaching the high ceiling and spiraled down. The smoke began to take on shapes; human shapes. All the while the scream continued.

"Spirits!" Saki shouted, "Great Warriors of old! Aid me in my trouble!"

The scream died and a warrior stepped forward on air.

"What would you have us do, Horoku Saki?" the spirit asked in a booming voice.

The laugh that came from Saki's voice convinced Aislinn he was thoroughly mad. "Kill the turtles!" roared Saki. "Kill the mutant turtles!"

That's when pandemonium broke out.

"No!" Aislinn screamed. She was vaguely aware that Jessica and Merode made the same protests.

As the spirits turned and marched like machines toward the turtles who were backed against the wall weaponless, Merode, Jessica and Kimi rushed forward to help them. Aislinn hesitated. She needed to get to the amulet. Maybe then she could figure out how to summon the Keepers.

"Aislinn!" shouted Yasahiro. "The lever on the east wall! Pull it! Quickly!"

Aislinn turned and ran, dodging ninjas who tried to stop her. She didn't know what the lever did, but she trusted Yasahiro.

Reaching the lever, she yanked down on it. The sound of heavy metal grinding filled the room and a panel in the wall near the turtles slid open revealing weapons of all sorts.

Aislinn breathed a sigh of relief. At least they could protect themselves. She searched the room for Saki. She needed to get the amulet back.

He was very easy to find since the ninjas now crowded against the windows, ready to jump should the spirits attack them. Saki stood off to the side, watching the turtles trying to defend themselves. The amulet was hung around his neck, swinging back and forth as he headed for the stairs to the roof.

Raph was the first to realize that the spirits' bodies were erthereal. He swiped at a warrior's neck, but the sai went through without damage as if he had swiped at a cloud.

"Oh, shit," was all Raph could say before he was flying across the room and into a wall.

Saki laughed as one does when on realizes a long-needed victory was in sight. It was cut short, however, when Aislinn jumped on his back, wrapping her hands about the amulet.

"Give it back!" she growled, yanking on it, trying to break the chain as Saki stumbled around, trying to throw her off. He finally grasped her hair and, with a mighty heave, flung her into the nearest wall.

"Kenji!" Saki shouted. "Get the amulet!"

Aislinn cried out as her head hit the wall with a crack and she slid to the floor. She sat there, dazed, and looked down at her hand. The amulet was clasped in her fingers.

"Spirits…" Ancestors, her head hurt! "Keepers--"

A hand grasped her by her throat and lifted her off the ground. Kenji sneered at her, his eyes triumphant. "Time to join your ancestors, miss high and mighty."

"Aislinn!" she heard Mikey scream.

A sharp pain tore through her abdomen and she gasped, unable to scream.

Kenji jerked his sword from her stomach and stepped back, letting Aislinn fall to her knees. She looked up at him with wide eyes, holding her stomach closed with her hands.

"I'll take that," Kenji said, snatching the amulet. "Little brats shouldn't play with such dangerous things."

"Neither should you," said Yasahiro's voice from behind Kenji. There was a flash of metal one moment and the next, Kenji's headless body was being kicked aside by Yasahiro.

"Aislinn!" Mikey rushed to her side and knelt, catching her before she hit the ground. "Oh, god, Aislinn," Mikey said, looking horrified at all the blood.

"Mikey…" Aislinn gasped. "The…amulet…" She winced. "Call the…Keepers. Ask…" she stopped with a groan of pain. "Ask for justice…they will…stop the warriors."

"Hush, love. You're going to be okay." Tears flowed down his cheeks as he glanced at the blood that pooled around them. "Oh, god." She wasn't going to make it. "Aislinn, please. Don't leave me."

She gave a weak smile and lifted her hand slowly to touch his wet cheeks. "Don't cry. I'll come back…I promise…Mikey, my love…" Her body stiffened and she closed her eyes tight against the pain. Then she seemed to deflate and was still.

Sobbing, Mikey hugged her close.

Meanwhile, the battle raged on, the turtles and their friends still on the defensive.

From high above through a skylight, Saki watched his niece die with no remorse. He waved a hand at Tenshi. "Retrieve the amulet."

Tenshi bowed and grunted then left. Undetected, he stole downstairs and snatched up the amulet from Kenji's lifeless grip. He quickly climbed the stairs and handed the amulet to Shredder with a bow.

"Great Warriros of the Ancestors!" Saki bellowed, holding the amulet high. "Kill any who attempt to aid the turtles!"

The spirits turn on Yasahiro and the girls.


	11. Chapter 10

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, ****Amé,**** and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults. Iie means no, hai means yes, kuso means bastard, bakka means stupid, matane means goodbye (informally), arigato means thank you. -san is added to a name to show respect (like Mr. or Mrs.) and -chan is added to a name to show endearment.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time.**

**Chapter 10**

_Aislinn was in a white room again, but this time she wasn't alone. Her mother stood surrounded by other men and women. Men and women she knew only from pictures, and those were few. They were her grandparents and their parents and their grandparents and so on. Every man and woman who had ever been a Keeper stood, waiting._

"_Mother!" Aislinn cried, "What's going on?"_

"_Aiko, I should ask you the same! Why haven't you called us?"_

"_I was going to, but Kenji, he…he killed me."_

"_We must send her back to call us," said a woman._

"_It is risky," said a man. "She could end up going back into the body and return to us."_

"_We must take the risk."_

"_What risk? What do you mean, send me back? How?"_

_Amé pulled her daughter aside. "Grandmother is right, Aiko. You must go back. Walk through those doors," she pointed to a pair of black bay window doors. "Head away from us and don't turn back. Eventually you'll come to a large light. Turn left before entering the light and you'll arrive back in life as a spirit. You _must_ get the amulet back from your uncle. For the sake of the world and for the spirits' souls."_

_Aislinn did as told and left the room, heading for the light. She turned left and fell into darkness. A light flashed…_

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Aislinn opened her eyes and sat up, then stood. Looking down, she found Mikey kneeling in a lake of blood, holding her body. She was now nothing but a misty figure in flowing robes.

Reaching out, she passed her hand through Mikey's head. He didn't even notice. She wanted to comfort him, show him she was still there. She closed her eyes and concentrated on feeling. "Mikey," she said and opened her eyes to feel her hand resting on his head.

Mikey looked up and then back down at her limp body. He gazed back up at her, eyes wide. "Aislinn? But…how…?"

"Shh, my love." She leaned down and kissed his lips softly. "Everything will be all right."

She looked around, noticing the spirits had turned on the girls. She frowned. They wouldn't hold out much longer. Only Merode seemed uncut, but she was growing tired as were the rest. "Where's Shredder?"

"I saw him go up to the roof, but--"

Aislinn soared upward through the ceiling. She hovered and scanned the area. Only Saki and Tenshi.

She flew over, grabbed Tenshi by the neck of his robe and threw him over her shoulder.

Shredder, standing in front of Tenshi, didn't notice.

"Saki, my dear, sweet uncle,' Aislinn sneered.

Oroku turned, his eyes widening. "But…but you're…"

"Dead? Hai, but you see," she advanced on him. "You have something of mine."

Saki backed up, the amulet clasped in his hand. "How…did you…?"

"I told you, uncle. If the Keeper dies before the amulet is returned to the Kitsune, the Keeper will come back as a spirit and be indestructable except by another spirit. So you're screwed." She took another step forward, holding out her hand. "Give me the amulet and I'll make your death quick. If you don't, I'll make you wish you were dead."

He held the amulet above his head. "Spirits! De--"

Aislinn cut him off by grabbing his throat and lifting him from the ground. "Wrong choice, uncle. Hand over the amulet."

Suddenly a helicopter rose to Aislinn's right. A very battered Tenshi sat in the pilot's seat. Saki took the chance and sent the amulet flying to Aislinn's left. It sailed into open space past the building's edge, then fell and disappeared.

Aislinn--her urge to help her friends rising over her sense of duty--threw Shredder over her shoulder and soared after the amulet. She caught it before it hit the ground. "Spirits! Hear my plea! Keepers of the amulet, past and future, aid me in my trouble! See that justice is served!"

The amulet grew warm in her hand as streaks of gold light emitted from the symbols. It grew so bright that, even as a spirit, she covered her eyes in surprise. When she looked again, the amulet pulse with a golden glow.

A hand closed Aislinn's over the amulet and Aislinn looked up into Amé's gold face. "What would you have us do, Aiko-san?" Amé asked.

"I ask that you help me defend my friends against the spirits of the warriors."

Amé nodded and unsheathed the gold sword at her side. Other gold forms stepped forward.

"Saki?" one asked.

Aislinn shook her head. "Gone with Tenshi."

"Very well," Amé said. "As long as you have the amulet." She turned to the others. "Keepers! Justice must be done. These warriors are your husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters. But they are controlled by the amulet and Saki's will. Without him to reverse their actions, they will continue to strive for one goal no matter who stands in their way. But they must be stopped. For future's sake, they _must_ be stopped. Will you help Aiko-san?"

Some nodded and murmured their solemn ascent. Others stepped back, whether to assess the situation before joining the fight or outright refusing, Aislinn didn't know.

Amé nodded. "Let us go."

With a war cry that followed down the ranks of spirits, Amé led the way through the wall and into the fray. Aislinn was quick to join her mother.

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This is ridiculous, thought Donatello as he blocked another blow with his bo. His muscles screamed in protest. You can't fight someone who can't be harmed no matter how hard you hit it. He couldn't see how Merode did it. She hadn't been cut once, hit yes, but not cut. She seemed to be too fast for the Samurai's blade.

The wasn't true for the others, however, who had taken blows by the hundred. At least, it felt that way. The spirit before Donatello rose his blade high and Donatello knew that, even if he blocked it, his muscles wouldn't take the strain.

He was right. As the sword connected with his bo, he lost control and the sword sliced into his shoulder and shell. He screamed as fire with the force of a thousand suns soared through his shoulder and down his arm.

He feintly heard his name being screamed, but he wasn't sure who the voice belonged to.

The spirit jerked the sword out with little ceremony and brought it down in a swinging motion.

"Donny!" a girl's voice screamed.

There was a flash of gold and Donatello found himself kneeling behind a spirit, this one gold rather than misty grey.

"Donny!" came the voice again and Kimi rushed to his side.

"Kimi?" Donatello asked weakly. "You…you spoke?"

"Kimi!" shouted Aislinn. "Get Donatello out of here!" The gold spirit shoved at the grey to free it's sword then stabbed it through the abdomen. A spine-chilling scream filled the air and the grey spirit faded into nothingness.

The gold spirit turned to them. It was an older woman but looked to be in her thirties. She looked remarkably like Aislinn.

"Aiko's right. Get your friends out of here. We'll take care of this."

Kimi quickly obeyed and helped Donatello to a corner away from the fighting. She leaned him against the wall, examining his wound and ignoring his questions. He was bleeding severely and was growing pale.

Without giving him warning, she pressed her hand to the opening and applied pressure. He cried out in pain, squinting his eyes closed.

Leonardo collapsed next to them, Jessica right beside him. "Will he be alright?"

Kimi nodded.

"She…sp--" Donatello started.

Kimi put her free hand to his mouth and gestured to him to keep silent. Her speaking had surprised her, too. After her parents' deaths, she hadn't been able to whisper a word, much less scream.

Screams continued to fill the air until finally everyone but Merode had joined together to watch.

"Where's Aislinn?" Jessica asked.

"Depends on which one you mean," Mikey said.

She frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

Mikey pointed to Aislinn's body a few feet away that somehow the others had overlooked.

Jessica gave a cry of alarm.

"She's also over there," Mikey said, pointing to a golden spirit fighting her way toward Merode. Aislinn slashed through a spirit and looked toward her friend. Her eyes widened. "Merode! Look out!"

Too late, the grey spirit Merode fought sliced it's javelin across her side.

Merode cried out in pain and the spirit stepped back. She fell to her knees, expecting the killing blow to come.

It never did. The room fell silent.

Merode looked up to see the spirit, along with all the other grey spirits, standing at attention.

"Forgive me, my lady," said the spirit before her. "I did not know you were of the blood."

Merode stared at the spirit in confusion.

"Merode, why didn't you say something?" asked a gold spirit next to her. Merode recognized Aislinn's face.

"Aislinn? What happened? Why are you--"

"Never mind me. Why didn't you tell me you were a descendent of the Kitsune?"

"Aislinn, the hell you talkin about?"

"The Kitsune. The one who made the amulet. Only one of her blood could stop the warriors. Why didn't you tell me? The amulet could've been dealt with long ago."

"I didn't know myself. If you remember, I'm an orphan."

"What would you have us do, my lady?" asked the spirit.

Merode looked to the spirit then back at Aislinn, questioningly.

"Send them back to the Farplane. Let them go home."

Merode looked at the spirit. "Well, you heard her. Go."

The spirit bowed. "My Lady." And the grey spirits faded away without a sound.

Another gold spirit, Amé, Merode recognized her as, came to stand next to Aislinn.

"It is good to know your line did not die out, Lady Kitsune. Now I know you'll do the right thing with the amulet so the warriors' spirits may rest."

Without missing a beat, Merode asked, "How do I destroy it?"

A relieved look overcame Amé's face, but her voice remained solemn. "Sadly, only the Keeper can tell you how, but our lips are sealed once we cross into the farplane." She looked at Aislinn and hugged her close with one arm.

Merode looked stricken. "Aislinn, you're…?"

Aislinn nodded. "Hai."

"How?"

"Kenji."

"But…Aislinn…you can't leave us. Mikey…he needs you! And how am I supposed to destroy the amulet without you here?"

Aislinn shook her head. "I don't know."

"There is one way," Amé said.

Aislinn looked to her mother with hope.

"We could send you back to your body. Of course, the wound will be healed, but…"

"But what?"

"Your body would stay in the form it has taken. No antidote to Shredder's ooze will turn you back to your human form."

Aislinn thought of this. Then she nodded. "Fine. I'll do it."

Amé studied her, then nodded. "Keepers. She's made her decision."

There was a flash of light… "Matane, my daughter."

When Aislinn opened her eyes, she was back in her body, the others surrounding her.

Mikey helped her to sit up. "You feeling okay?" he asked.

Aislinn nodded. She looked around, "Mom?"

"They left," Merode said, stepping forward with the amulet. "Now let's get ride of this thing."

Aislinn held out her hand and Merode helped her to her feet. "Hai," said Aislinn. "I need a fairly large fire and the box the amulet came in."

"Let's go, then," Jessica said, turning and leading the way with Leo toward the door which was blocked by leftover ninjas. Those who hadn't fled when their master had.

Leo and Jess raised their katanas.

"Wait," Yasahiro said as the ninjas raised their own weapons. He stepped forward and addressed the leader. "Hiroshi. Must more useless killing occur this day? I do not wish to kill any more men I had thought were my friends."

Hiroshi studied Yasahiro. "I watched as you killed Kenji. There was no remorse in your actions."

"Iie. He betrayed Lady Aiko. She should have been the one protected. Not Saki. Horoku Minoru was our first Lord. Kenji forgot this."

"And you? What of you? Do you not remember ratting out our first Lord?"

"Only too well. I didn't realize I was doing wrong them. My foolishness blinded me. But with the return of Aiko-san, I have seen the truth."

Hiroshi nodded. "As have I. We only stopped you to give Lady Aiko this." He pulled a canister from his belt and held it out.

Aislinn stepped forward to take it. "What is it?" she asked.

"It's the antidote."

Aislinn looked from the canister to Hiroshi sharply. "Shredder told me there was none."

"So he would like everyone to believe. But an advantage to having camera security is that _nothing_ goes unnoticed."

Aislinn smiled. "Arigato, Hiroshi."

Hiroshi bowed and stepped aside. "Ninjas," he stated. The others followed suite and Aislinn was allowed to leave with her friends.

Yasahiro stopped at the door and the others filed past him, except for Aislinn. "You aren't coming with?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Iie. Hiroshi and the others are in danger now. Shredder will do anything in his power to destroy them and I. I will go with them. Maybe we can find a new life somewhere."

Aislinn nodded. "I wish all of you luck."

"The same to you, Lady."

"Aiko," she said, smiling. "Friends shouldn't be so formal with each other." She leaned up and hugged him, laying a peck on his cheek. "Matane, Yasahiro-chan. I'll tell my father everything you've done for me."

Yasahiro stepped back, a flush covering his cheeks. "Arigato, Aiko-san. Maybe I will be welcome into eternity with open arms."

"I don't doubt it."

Yasahiro bowed. "Matane, Aiko-san." With that, he turned and walked back to the other ninjas. Aislinn watched him leave, then turned and walked through the door


	12. Chapter 11

**AN: I don't own TMNT or any of their characters such as Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, Shredder or the Foot Clan. I do however, own Aislinn, Kimberly, Jessica, Ana, Kojr, Sharon, Yasahiro, ****Amé,**** and the storyline. Merode belongs to Melody S., an ex-friend of mine.**

**I've learned a few Japanese phrases through reading and such, and you'll find them scattered throughout the story, mostly insults. Iie means no, hai means yes, kuso means bastard, bakka means stupid, matane means goodbye (informally), arigato means thank you. -san is added to a name to show respect (like Mr. or Mrs.) and -chan is added to a name to show endearment. Ja matte ne means see you later.**

**PLEASE R&R!! I like to know what people think and, while this story is complete, I need motivation to drag my ass into to post since I'm going to school full-time and working part-time.**

**Chapter 11**

"That should do it," Aislinn said as she threw the last log onto the bonfire. She turned away from the blazing fire. "Who's got the box?"

All eight of them stood in a clearing in the center of a wood located a few miles away from the city. It was late at night and the clouds hit the moon's light. Kimi stepped forward with the box and held it out. Aislinn took it and, taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, letting her mother's teachings come back. She began reciting the enchantment--a different one from back at Saki's. She then unclasped the kitsune. A bright red light shone from the box that blinded them for a moment.

When Aislinn opened her eyes and looked into the box, she saw a sacrificial knife. It was ancient, more so than the amulet, but still looked to be newly made. It had no handle and was made of whale bone. It was doubled edged, one side dull for the handler and one sharp enough to slice through paper without catching. Starting at the tip curled a carved flame. It wound and twisted until it ended with a fox's head at the handle.

Aislinn lifted it from the box and set the box aside. The bone glowed orange in the firelight, making the flame on the bone dance.

"Wait a minute," said Raph. "What's that for?"

"I told you, Raph. In order to destroy the amulet, we need the Kitsune's blood."

"Yeah, but I figured you meant like a pinprick. No, as they say, her life's blood."

"It'll only be a slash across her palm. That's all."

Raph didn't argue further, but he didn't look happy.

"Don't worry, Raph," Merode said. "I'll be fine."

"Does everyone remember what I told you?" Aislinn asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Good. Form a circle around the fire. Not too far apart, just enough to join hands."

They did as they were told and Aislinn turned to Merode. "Ready?"

Merode nodded.

"Give me your left hand."

Merode did so, switching the amulet to her right hand. Aislinn pressed the knife into Merode's palm and drew a line across the lifeline. Blood seeped from the slash and pooled in her palm.

"Now, press the amulet into your palm and let it soak. Then throw it into the heart of the fire. When the spirit appears, answer it's questions without hesitancy and with conviction. Otherwise the spirit will think you've been forced into it and we'll have to wait for the next in your line."

Merode nodded and pressed the amulet into her blood-filled palm. Then she tossed it into the fire where it began to pulse blue.

"Join hands and begin the chant!" Aislinn said and joined the circle.

They did so, hesitant at first but then more confident. The blue light exploded, sending blue rays in all directions. When they were able to open their eyes again, a blue gosymer kitsune spirit floated just above the flames.

"What have you woken the Spirit of the Amulet?" the spirit asked.

Merode stepped forward. "The amulet has served its purpose and now we wish to destroy it before it falls into the wrong hands."

The spirit looked at Merode, studying her. "And you are?"

"Merode Smith. Descendent of the Kitsune who crafted the amulet."

The Kitsune leaned forward to gaze into Merode's eyes. Merode neither flinched nor blinked at the Kitsune's forwardness.

"Hai," said the Kitsune. "You are of the blood and you speak the truth." The Kitsune stood upright. "Very well." She raised her arms and brought them down in one swift movement as if wielding an axe.

The fire exploded upwards, making the others cover their faces from the heat. In the center of the fire, the amulet glowed red, then melted slowly away.

It was then as if the flood gates of the Farplane were opened. The rain poured down in cold sheets…no, waves. Soon, the fire was no more and all that was left was a smoldering pile of logs. As suddenly as it began, the rain stopped. The clouds moved and the moon shone in all her glory.

"It's finished," Aislinn said.

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As they buried the remains of the fire, Aislinn went to Mikey and pressed the antidote into his hands. "There should be just enough to turn you back. Any more and you might find yourself back in the pet shop," she said, smiling.

Mikey, however, didn't smile back. "What about you?" he asked.

Aislinn shrugged. "We all heard my mom. No antidote will help me."

"It doesn't seem fair," Mikey said after a pause.

"Life isn't fair, but I'll be okay. As long as I have you by my side from now on."

Mikey hugged her close, kissing the top of her head. He smiled down at her. "Consider me your new Siamese Twin."

Aislinn laughed and lifted her lips to his.

**Well, that's the end. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and take a look at my other stories as well:D Ja matte ne!**


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